Monday, December 29, 2008

Dearest God,

As a minister I have the privilege of hearing stories of faith from my parishoners. Today I heard a story.

I visited a single mother and her eight or nine year old daughter who had asked me to come to their home to bless Christmas ornaments made by the mother's grandmother. I looked over the Christmas tree admiring the bells, frosties, icicles, stars and more made from beads. The grandmother who will soon be 97 has a deep affection for this mother and her child. She has made so many Christmas treasures for this family.

As I listened to them talk about the ornaments and life in general, they thanked me once again for the honor of lighting the Christ candle on Christmas Eve. Both were nervous as people filled the sanctuary on the eve of Christ's birth. But they took the lighter and walked to the front as we sang the final verse of the Advent song. Then young Sara read the liturgy and we responded.

It was when I took my candle and lighted it from the Christ candle that Kim and Sara were inspired by the spirit. "When you lighted your candle and then lighted the candles people were holding in the aisles and they lighted the candles of their neighbors, I could see the light scattering from the candle we lighted. The light of Jesus was going all over the room." Kim shared with me. "Then when we walked out after the service Sara pointed to the only star in the sky. Only one star. It had to be the star over Bethlehem." I listened and smiled, inspired myself by their faith.

As the three of us stood by the tree holding two ornaments in our hands, I prayed for the ornaments and the joy and love they have brought to them. I also prayed for their faith and what it means to them. And in the room I am certain the star shed its light one more time.

Star light,
star bright,
you shine
and scatter
all over
the world.
Your creator
has done
a great thing,
blessing the world.
Shine, shine,
shine brighter
this next year
so the light
will embrace
and warm
the hearts
on this earth.
May the light
fall upon
us all
that we too
will bear
the light
to others.

Love and thanksgiving, Andrea