Merry Christmas!

A couple of 'takeaways' from last night's Christmas Eve service at our local church.

Like many of your services, it was one filled with lots of music...some featured individuals; others were congregational singing. There were several readers of verses from Luke and Matthew.

Then came communion served by a half dozen men, much as a varied combination of volunteers each Sunday might. As they returned the communion dishes, they grabbed the offering plates. The minister gently reminded them to smiles that there is no offering taken at Christmas Eve services.

How appropriate. Christmas is heaven sharing its greatest gift:  Jesus, the baby born for each of us. He only asks that we accept it!

"God so loved the world so much that He gave His Only Son......." (John 3:16)

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The service ended with everyone in attendance circling the outside perimeter of the sanctuary holding the candles each had received when they entered the service. As we listened to the Mannheim Steamroller instrumental version of "Silent Night", each of us lighted our candle from that of our neighbor. Smaller children were given a battery-operated small candle.

As our lights glowed in the now dark facility, a four-year-old girl did more than hold up her candle. She began to walk around the entire circle.........sharing her light with all who she passed...........her little face all aglow as she looked up at each of us.

She was doing what our minister told us a few minutes later:  to share His Light with others!

"Let us walk in the Light of the Lord."  (Isaiah 2:5)

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