December 25 - “Happy Birthday, Jesus”

 I got up around 4:30. Hey! It was Christmas Eve. That’s always been an exciting day for me. Last minute gift wrapping. Making sure the stockings are all hung just so. Perhaps a quick trip to Walmart for that last-second thing we forgot. Or better yet, for some good, old-fashioned people watching. 

OK, OK. Christmas Eve mania wasn’t exactly the real reason I was up so early, although all those things I said are true. But this time I have to add being uncomfortable because of my back and having a bit of a crick in my neck. But that’s old news. It was Christmas Eve, after all!

One other thing that made the day special was the fact that Christmas Eve fell on a Sunday. That meant the regular Sunday morning service, plus not one, but two special services. One was at four and the other at six. Made for a long day. It would have been longer, but Chris suggested I stay home and rest up in the morning, since I was reading one of my kid’s stories at the two other services. Still a long day. But a good one. 

We counted 61 people in the 4:00 service. Lots of children, and they even came up to my rocking chair and sat on the floor around me while I read my story. Then there were 60 more in the 6:00 service. That’s 60 people - only some were children, and nobody joined me at the rocking chair this time. 

One couple asked me if I was the one who stood on my head many years ago. Seems they had visited way back then and remembered. I had to confess. Yep. That would be me. I don’t know if they were there for my first sermon at Seaside or for one of the following anniversary Sundays when I repeated the action (until my neurosurgeon put his foot down and insisted I keep my feet on the ground).  It was fun to see folks come back and share what they remember. 

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ says, 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 among those with whom he is pleased!”

Father, thank you for the chance to remember your birth last night. Twice. Amen.