Christmas God Sightings

At least twice in the days leading up to this Christmas, I have experienced God sightings.  I have no doubt. The first was last Sunday.  Looking for something, as I always am this time of year, I walked into my drawing room after church.  A single stream of light shone through our front window. As directed and specific and pronounced as a spotlight, the beam settled perfectly on the manger scene topping my bombay chest.  I grabbed my camera; I got the shot.  The photo may not do justice, but I had to try to capture the moment.  I didn't want to forget.  I didn't want to let it go.

Today, one week later, in a not so quiet way, God touched me again.  This blessing began well  before the 'Sunday Before Christmas' sermon.  I am so sorry, Pastor Brian, but today, the messenger was not the minister; the message did not belong to the pulpit.  For, one row up from me, in the congregation trimmed in red and green, a tiny angel with long dark curls and a big red bow, sparkling red skirt brushing this way and that, eyes glistening with the reflections of the enormous decorated trees to her left and right and lungs filled with true joy, threw her animated little head back and sang with a conviction the likes of which I am not sure I have ever seen or heard.  Yes, Pastor, you were upstaged, if unintentionally, by this little lamb as she sang of the silent night and a sacred manger.  She sang with the passionate fury of a Child of God....she sang with joy...with a child's joy....the true joy of Christmas.  As she sang, she smiled, her sweet spirit filling the place.  I and several others around me stopped our suddenly inadequate singing to lean toward this littlest of angels, she of the second pew, stealing the show for all those blessed to be close enough to share this moment with her.  She once or possibly twice reached up toward the heavens.  Still singing, she smiled again and nodded toward the minister who himself had now turned to take in this tiny songstress, perhaps already realizing his message today could have waited.  His work was done.  His sermon was already delivered for many in the form of this little one.

I felt my own emotion welling up...I knew my drug store mascara was about to let me down. The tiny princess, somehow an irresistible cross between Shirley Temple and Jackie Evancho, sang on, throwing her head, or perhaps more accurately her very soul, back even further as she sang....so far in fact that I feared her neck might pop.  She twirled and swayed from side to side as her seated mom rocked what must have been  a younger sister.  A third child, a son, draped his arms sweetly around his mother's shoulder.  This mom's eyes closed, as she seemed to bask in the moment, and I thought this is this woman's Christmas, surrounded by her children breathing in the caroles her totally uninhibited daughter provided, celebrating the birth of a King.

I am so thankful for these little moments in the midst of  the usual seasonal craziness.  I am so very thankful that last Sunday and today, I saw....and heard....the Christ in Christmas.