Today my family, and I attended our nieces and nephews Christmas children’s program at the Assembly of God church in Clifton CO. It made my Christmas this year much more meaningful for several reasons.
My sister Martha informed me directly after being seated amongst our (still living) parents, 2 brother-in-laws and other sister Debbie, our 2nd brother Melvin and his wife Joanne, and our sister in-law Valerie, that the only one missing was our oldest brother Jerry. I didn’t understand the comment, so inquired further with my eyebrows raised, to which she responded with an amazing story. When we were little girls (with our brother Jerry) we would go to the Assembly of God Church in Ness City, Kansas with our Grandmother Copeland to watch the Christmas programs. Some of which I actually remember having a ‘part’ to perform during the Christmas rituals we had as children. Once I remembered reciting the poem called “A little drummer boy”, which I still think I remember completly.
We watched as the play begun for our nieces and nephew to sing and recite they assigned parts in the story of Jesus birth at Christmas. The children were brilliant to hear sing and speak, and the story… a blessing to hear again. Only through the eyes and hearts of children can we witness the beauty of his (Jesus) love for us, in a way that captures our hearts for a lifetime.
Hopefully I will never grow so old that I can not open my heart and rejoice when a child sings, or retells the stories of Jesus birth at Christmas.
I want to thank my family for their relationship with Jesus, that they shared with me my whole life, with unceasing prayers. What a blessing to know my parents had a walk with Christ so close that I could witness generations later the retelling of the Christmas story that took root in my heart so deep, all those many, many years ago in a little town in Kansas.
I also want to thank my family on this wonderful spiritual path we walk with Jesus everyday. I pray they felt as warmed and blessed by the day as I did.
And last but not least I want to thank my Niece’s, Brianna and Beth and my Nephew, Jacob McElroy for being the light in this generation that shines in my heart as I remember the roles you played in the Christmas program, and the roles you play out in our wonderful, blessed family because we all know Jesus personally.
