Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Worship (corporate) (10/04/07)
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TITLE: Crown Him King | Previous Challenge Entry
By Angeline oppenheimer
10/11/07 -
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ADD TO MY FAVORITES
Fourteen days to go. The eight-foot Noble Fir is fully decked and beaming. I smile--way to go.
Million of golden lights frame my house, cascades falling off the roofs and windows. My house is a magical palace. I catch the pulsing rhythm through the window and I’m secretly pleased.
Twelve days to Christmas. It is so swell.
Rosy poinsettias creep up the spiral staircase. Stockings hang smugly from silver letterings N-O-E-L. Presents tumble out of Christmas trees and yes… gifts to prepare. Aunt Selma and her love of birdhouses… and yes… don’t forget…Uncle Richard celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas, so be discreet. The pantry bursts with batches of freshly baked cookies and the smell…
Five days to Christmas. Can’t wait--everything is almost ready and my heart smacks of self-efficiency.
“Tis the night before Christmas and everyone is asleep, except me. The fire cackles, yielding its last ember, the single star beckons from the tree, the smell of Christmas permeates… yet I wonder as I sit in my oversized bean bag… has the smell of Christmas permeated me?
Confronted by a whole array of twinkling lights, I realize that I’ve been so busy trying to create the spirit of Christmas that I miss it. So what’s the use? All the fluff and ruffles avail to nothing if I don’t reach within to connect with the Gift.
Lord, let me catch the spirit of Christmas.
Christmas morning dawns softly. The kids are downstairs, waiting anxiously to open their presents. As they tear their presents open with all too eager hands, I wonder if I had a dream conversation with the Lord. After all, the day has a tall order. Get the kids to the Thens for Christmas and they are to come with their musical instruments for some good old caroling. They are given some songs to practice but as usual, they wait until the last hour.
“When are you guys going to practice for the carols? We’ve 3 hours left,” I remind.
“Don’t worry, mom, it’s easy,” they both chorus and go back to their gift appreciation.
After an hour, the two finally manage to produce the score. As Aaron races through with the song, Shaina could barely hit the notes on the bell. The two erupt into a banter of who’s holding who up.
Lord,, how will I find the Christmas spirit?
Four families gather together at the Thens with a total of four kids. AJ on the Tuba, Becky on the clarinet, Shaina on the bell and Aaron on the saxophone. Hopes are high on a bunch of fledgling musicians as they attempt to lead us into some soulful singing. Hymnals are passed and we build a wall around our young ensemble.
Ready go!
The notes pop like stray bullets. Some screech through the air, while others hang on, jarring. As eight adult voices attempt to drown out the flaws, someone yells stop before we barely bellow out, “Silent night, holy night, All……”
Becky, can you play a little softer?
Aaron, you’re going way too fast and your pitch is too high
AJ, yours is too flat. Bring it up a notch.
And Shaina, read the notes!
Ok, let’s go.
The young musicians try hard to come together. After four bad attempts, they look ready to quit.
Lord, I thought I could find you tonight in the songs. Looks like it’s not happening.
Mr. Then steps in to prevent a total meltdown.
“Let’s just keep playing. Don’t worry about the notes and as for you, grown-ups, make a joyful noise!”
Encouraged, we sing our hearts out.
Our smorgasbord of voices and notes may clash, but nobody cares. As I allowed myself to get carried away with the songs, my mind wanders with the words, creating scenes with stanza after stanza.
A Star. An angle. A host of angels. Sheep and shepherds out on the wintry night.
A cradle. A baby. A proud mother. A doting father. A Savior. My Messiah.
Emmanuel now and ever.
In the muted darkness, a tear runs its course down the side of my cheek and my heart smiles. I’m smug and rightly so--I have come to crown Him King.
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