Sunday, December 23, 2007

Dearest God,

We lifted our voices to heaven. Five cars of carolers made their way from house to house. To the lonely, the recovering, the shut in. We sang our favorites. Away in a Manger. Joy to the World. We asked people to tell us their favorite Christmas songs, then we sang them. We finished up by singing, We Wish You a Merry Christmas. We were young and old, maybe four being the youngest and 80 something our oldest. We were a merry group.

But I saw something that most, maybe all did not see. I witnessed the stories of the singers. I have known some of their heartaches, some of their disappointments. I have listened to their fears, understood their pain and suffering. Some have been in great peril while others have lived out life's daily experiences.

I thought of how we were singing faith, not just Christmas songs. We were sharing the words, the songs of our hearts. How many times had we trusted in the foundation of these songs to just get us by another day? How many times had we prayed using these words to comfort us? How many times had we cried out for the hope contained in these songs? We were renewing our own faith as we sang. We were deepening our soul's journey with you as we offered melodies of the spirit. Something was happening as we sang. Another mystery of Christmas unfolding in the lives of us humans.

We sing to you.
We sing to you.
We sing to you,
Great God
of Christmas.
We sing ourselves
to the manger
where we gaze
on the child
of great promise.
We sing to you.
We sing to you.
We sing to you,
Great God
of Christmas.

Love, Andrea