Last week my sister and I were going over all the things
we have to do before Christmas. I think we tell each other so that we can
remind ourselves of anything we may have forgotten. Halfway through our lists I
said, “Let’s just pause a moment and celebrate the birth of Jesus on earth…moment’s
over.” We laughed at my little joke but I silently promised myself that I would
take a moment to worship the Emmanuel Jesus Christ Son of God.
Then my week got crowded. I thought that I would take the
time to concentrate on the words of our Christmas program at choir practice but
ended up concentrating more on the notes of the music. At night, I addressed
Christmas cards, wrapped presents, and decorated my house. Then, of course, the
Christmas parties have started. By Thursday I realized that I had not taken a
worship moment. Oh, I did my Bible study but worked it into the busy schedule
any old how.
On Thursday I was asked to substitute in the elementary
library. It was there in the middle of all the little books with the
kindergarten group that I got to pause and celebrated Christmas. They had been
so busy for weeks practicing for their school Christmas play and I was supposed
to just show them the movie, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” to give them a little
break in their high stress practice schedule. Easy money.
And the movie just reinforced what was going on in my
busy Christmas or bust life. Charlie was coerced into directing the school play
and no one was co-operating. Lucy made Schroder play “Jingle Bells” until he
got it right. Snoopy was decorating his dog house for a best lights display
contest. Finally Charlie Brown asked if anyone knew the real meaning for all
this hoopla about Christmas. And thank you Charles Shultz cartoon creator
because he let the whole movie stop as Linus quoted Luke 2:8-14
And there were in
the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock
by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto
them, Fear not; for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be
to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior,
which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the
babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was
with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.
"...That's what
Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown."
And I stopped and listened and worshiped. The
kindergartners did too. Then after the movie as they colored a Christmas tree,
they began to spontaneously sing loudly. And it wasn’t “Jingle Bells”, or “Rudolf.”
It was “Silent Night”, “Joy to the World” “Away in a Manger”, and one Christmas
hymn after another. The singing kept going and didn’t stop until their library
time was over. I was the worst substitute librarian ever because I threw
library etiquette and decorum out of the window and sang just as loudly with
them. They didn’t sing because they had too, or because these songs were in
their play. They sang because they wanted too. They worshiped in their
kindergarten way and I worshiped with them.
I
pressed “pause.”
I
took the time for my heart to really look in the manger and worship the baby,
the “God
with us” baby.
And I
sang loudly.
“Oh
come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.”
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