Â
Â
Dear friends in Christ, Last night James Wells led our children's choirs in a Christmas musical called "No Room For Christmas." Written by Mark Burrows, it's about a children's Christmas pageant that almost went sour because the director was sick and unable to be present for the performance. The children were forced to ad lib. The show went on. But it was a little different from the script. One of the "take home" lines for me was when one of the characters said: "Christmas is not something you make! Christmas just is!" It occurred to me how often we approach this season trying to make the perfect Christmas. We can get so stressed out about the preparations that we miss the meaning. But we don't make Christmas! Christmas just is! Christmas reminds us that our God reveals Himself in the most unlikely and unexpected ways. God enters our existence in ways that are not in "my script." If I get too scripted, I miss it! The first ones to experience the joy of Christmas were not rulers and priests. They were too busy. According to the script(ure), the first to experience Christmas were shepherds. Surprising! Lowly shepherds made room for Christmas. They heard the angel's song. They went to Bethlehem. The found the stable. They knelt and worshiped. And they shared what they had heard and seen. I'm grateful to our children for reminding us that Christmas is not something we make. Christmas just IS! May you experience the IS-ness of Christ during this sacred season!