Away in a Manger

This weekend Peachy participated in her first Sunday school Christmas service. It is hard for me to even express the joy this brought to my heart. Watching my little lamb proudly sharing her faith with everyone in attendance brought tears to my eyes. (Unfortunately we were not able to see her where we were sitting. But I am thinking this is maybe a good thing, because then I would have really lost it. Thankfully we will be able to get a copy of a dvd that was made.) Cream sat and stood on my lap entranced with the children up in front of the church and even joined in "singing" on a couple of the songs.
I have been involved in more Christmas services than I can count. I was a participant every year from kindergarten through the end of college in either a children's service or sacred concert and then I was a director until I had Peachy and "retired" from teaching. Even without my child participating the impact of all of those young voices uniting in the familiar Christmas story and those often sung Christmas hymns and songs has always touched my heart. And this year it was a double whammy. There was my child, grown up enough to be up front with the other kids, adding her voice to Away in a Manger and Go Tell It on the Mountain. And then there was the recent shooting in Connecticut also weighing heavily on my heart.
What a wonderful privilege to see my little one expressing the faith that is in her heart and allowing us all to take time and focus on the true reason we celebrate Christmas, that little Lord Jesus in the manger bed.