14.12.14

Twas the night before . . .

No.  It's not the night before Christmas.  It's not the night before the big game.  It's not the night before the party.  It's not the night before anything, really.  Tomorrow will be Sunday, December 14.  It will be another ordinary day for most.  Oh, there will be miracles, I'm sure.  There's always a miracle.  And, for someone somewhere, I'm sure it will be a special day, a day not ever forgotten.  But it's really just December 14.

However, if you ask these kids, tomorrow is, in fact, going to be a little more than ordinary.  It's the day of our church's Christmas musical, the "biggest" musical we've ever presented.  And these kids are EXCITED!  Mason and Hannah Kate both were practicing their lines tonight after supper.  They've asked a million questions or more about tomorrow.  Abbie told me this afternoon that she is so excited and can't wait.  She's going to be making her singing debut tomorrow, singing solo for the very first time.  

Tomorrow will be special.  But today was special, too, a day that I know they all will remember.  These kids spent their afternoon visiting and decorating sugar cookies with a 10-year-old who is in the hospital after a horrible accident at his home left him with burns over parts of his body. 

There was so much joy in this tiny hospital room today.  There was laughter and fun and the smell of sugar.  There were sprinkles and icing and sticky fingers.

I'm proud of our children.  They were brave today.  Real brave.  Because what they did today takes courage.  There were a few tears when we left.  One of the boys later told his mama that it would've been selfish for him not to go just because what he saw upset him.  My own boy was so full that he couldn't sing "Joy to the World" with us as we gathered around that hospital bed.  There were some hard places today.  But when we gathered our children around that bed and took their picture with our new friend, do you know who was smiling the biggest and brightest?  It wasn't our children.  Oh, they were smiling all right.  But it was that 10-year-old boy laying in that bed who was beaming!

You know, I was lamenting just a few days ago because my children did not really ask for anything for Christmas this year, and I had no idea what to get them.  Okay, so Mason asked for a four wheeler and an xbox, neither of which he is getting.  But, really, neither of them have talked much about presents and what they want and what they're going to get.  And to think I was frustrated about that!  And worried that I "wouldn't know what to get them."  I mean, isn't this what we've been trying to instill in our children every single year amidst the twinkle lights, wrapping paper, bearded Santa and jingle bells?!  Haven't we been praying that they would GET IT, that they would embrace the real meaning of Christmas?!  And so they do that, and I'm upset about it?!

Oh, don't get me wrong.  There will be presents.  And we sing along to Christmas carols everyday.  And Santa is okay, too.  But today?  That was Christmas.

And tomorrow.  There will be costumes and music and a cast of Biblical characters played by some children who will, no doubt, act their little hearts out.  

It's my prayer that everyone will experience the awe and wonder of Jesus, the Babe, who was born in a lowly stable.

It's my prayer that everyone will encounter King Jesus, the risen Lord and Savior of this world.  Because, really, there is no Christmas without Easter anyway.

I must admit.  I might have a little trouble falling asleep tonight.  The costumes are hemmed and ironed and hung with care.  The music is playing over and over and over in my head.  The script has been finalized, the props are in place.  We don't have the best voices or the fanciest set build.  As a matter of fact, we don't really have the best or most or fanciest of anything.  We just have folks who love Jesus and want to make Him famous.  And I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to minister to our community in this way.