On the tenth day of Christmas
my true love gave to me
ten lords a leaping.

On this the tenth day of Christmas much of our nation us blanketed by colder than normal temperatures. Snow storm warnings are hitting the east coast. Even Florida is expecting a freeze. It seems like we’re in the throws of a winter blast but for some reason, Christmas seems so far behind us. But today is still part of that Christmas journey. We’re not done yet! Today we celebrate 10 leaping lords. 

If you are like most of us, when you read this line it’s a little confusing. Why would I need, or want for that matter, ten lords a leaping? And what in the world is a leaping lord anyway? Well, like every other verse in this crazy song, there’s a meaning behind the silliness. Today’s gift is a reminder of the first gift of ten recorded in the Bible, the ten commandments.

On this the tenth day of Christmas we’re asked to celebrate the ten commandments and all that they do for us. The commandments, like any rule, have a purpose. They are used in three basic ways: to curb us in and prevent ridiculous outbursts of wrong, the show us when we do go wrong by reflecting it back to us, and to lead us in the right way.

Many people dream of a world where rules weren’t so prevalent but that might not be the best situation! Without rules there would be no order. Without order we’d be living in a time of complete chaos! Rules, commandments, are important even if we don’t like them or their consequences.

So today take a moment and think of the boundaries that are present in your life. Be thankful for the help that they provide for you. While they may sound like they are restricting you from living the life you want to live, they are actually freeing you to live the life you were meant to live. Like a guardrail on a windy mountain road they are there to keep you safe until you get to the top. Celebrate and leap for joy over this wonderful gift of 10 today!

Let’s keep the celebration of Christmas going!