Love is born tonight

Here we are. Christmas Eve. The last advent door opened and chocolate eaten. Presents wrapped and hiding behind locked doors until little eyelids get heavy enough to stay shut a few hours. The fridge is packed with delicious foods waiting to be sautéed, roasted, and served on pretty platters. All the waiting ends tonight.

This year I have a church gig as a pianist. I've patiently waited to pull out the Christmas carols and hymns (can I just say we need more good advent music!?). Finally tonight I can share so many treasures we only get to hear a few weeks each year.

Tonight at the family service, I sang an arrangement of Some Children See Him, which was written by my mom. I had asked her to write it for me around the time I was pregnant with Maia. When I tried to sing it through the first time, I couldn't finish because of the lump in my throat and tears brimming in my eyes. My extended family laughed along with me at "those pregnancy hormones." And yet, here I am 6 years later, still barely able to make it through.

The lyrics and setting resonate strongly with me.

I hesitate to share the recording I made yesterday. It's not perfect and this type-A lady likes things to be perfect. But, a colleague of mine once said "perfection is not ours to have" (yeah, I'll just let you think about that for a minute... it should be cross stitched on a pillow!) and it's a really beautiful arrangement of a song that I think speaks truth.

(Ruby was my recording engineer for this one)




Some children see Him lily white, the baby Jesus born this night,
Some children see Him lily white, with tresses soft and fair.
Some children seen Him bronzed and brown, the Lord of Heaven to earth come down;
Some children see Him bronzed and brown, with dark and heavy hair.

Some children see Him almond-eyed, this Savior whom we kneel beside,
Some children see Him almond-eyed, with skin of yellow hue.
Some children see Him dark as they, sweet Mary's Son to whom we pray
Some children seen Him dark as they,
And, ah! they love Him too!

The children in each diff'rent place 
Will see the baby Jesus' face like theirs, 
But bright with heav'nly grace,
And filled with holy light.
O lay aside each earthly thing,
And with thy heart as offering,
Come worship now the Infant King,
'Tis love that's born tonight.

And there it is. Love.

I've got issues with the church and religion.

But love? That's something I can unequivocally get behind. What other reason is there to be kind, or put one foot in front of the other, or be selfless, but love? How wonderful, that tonight especially, we get to celebrate the birth of love with songs and candles and cookies and family.

Into my Facebook feed tonight came this "How can one hear this story of the beginning of our salvation and not be reduced to tears? Deo gratias...."

I too am reduced to tears at the extravagance and largeness of love. The hope that it brings. The purpose it provides.

Merry Christmas dear friends. May love touch your heart this season.