December 7 – “Really Laughing”

Seaside's worship time today was especially special today.  We had some guest singers dressed in Elizabethan garb.  They were going to sing at Dickens on the Strand this afternoon, so they practiced on us this morning.  They were high school students from Bay Area Christian School.  They did a great job.  And the service itself really fell into place.  Our advent theme was peace, and everything about the morning spoke to it, from Lanny's advent intro to the choir director's intro to the main point of the teaching to the singing of Silent Night.  And we didn't get together to plan it.  God did the planning for us.  It's always great to be in a service he puts together.   This afternoon we went to Jachin's fifth birthday party.  He has grown quite competitive in his old age.  Reminds me a lot of his daddy … and his mommy.  Before anyone else arrived he told me something about his cousin.  "I could beat cousin Nathan at everything if I was older than him," he explained.  "But when I was four he was five.  And when I'm five he's already six.  And when I'm six, he's seven.  And when I'm seven, he's eight.  And when I'm eight, he's nine.  And when I'm nine, he's ten.  And when I'm ten, he's eleven.  It's just not fair."  You know what, Jachin?  You're right.  Sometimes it's not fair.  Like later on at the party when the two of them raced against each other.  Bumping and shoving and pushing all the way, Nathan won when Jachin fell face first on the track.  He burst into tears and ran to his dad's arms.  After he calmed down a bit, I heard him say, "Daddy, I really wanted to win.  Maybe next time I could cheat."  Hmmm.  He did win a rematch later on – and he didn't cheat.   Tonight we decorated Seaside for Christmas.  Hanging of the Greens.  We decorated a tree, hung lights on the walls and shared some great sweets.  It was mostly children and teenagers, with a smattering of child-like adults as well.  My favorite part of the whole night came when I was back in the storeroom.  Just on the other side of the non-insulated, paper thin wall I heard Chris (my wife) and Lanny (our worship pastor) laughing about something.  I have no idea what was so funny.  Didn't really matter.  It just struck me that those two were laughing.  Really laughing.  Not that polite chuckle sound you make when it's the socially or politically correct thing to do.  It's been a long time – oh, about three months at least – since I heard that sound come out of their mouths.  Lanny's been stressed about his health as well as the storm.  Chris has been stressed about her mom's health … as well as the storm.  But tonight they laughed.  A corner has been turned.    "For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but joy comes in the morning."  (Psalms 30:5)   Father, thank you for the joy of kids decorating for Christmas – however old they are.  Amen.