- a most beloved pastor and our little inside joke about the Christmas Concert
- friends with whom I once spent Christmas until things changed and we drifted apart
- the child who insisted on singing "beneath they deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by" instead of despite my attempts to correct "beneath" to "above"
- my grandparents (three of them; I never met the other one); one grandmother came every Christmas; the other grandparents lived further away so we saw them less often
- a small, enthusiastic shepherd who made a little bow to the congregation on his way out one concert
There is some achiness at Christmas, and more surrounding the concert because I have so many memories of past concerts and people who are no longer around (some just left the church; others are in heaven now).
But I am also thankful for:
- the family I spend Christmas with and who are really family to me now
- this year's Christmas concert with close to 90 enthusiastic children and our annual chance to remind (or teach) people about the birth of Christ and the gospel
- the child who is trying so hard to behave because he wants to be a shepherd
- the little guy who decided that he would be a Scripture reader this year and is faithfully practicing reading his part
- having a church family who love and support me
From Matthew West, a song that helps express my feelings:
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