After a couple of crazy practices, numerous role changes (one brave young lady jumped from innkeeper to shepherd and then to the angel Gabriel . . . all within 5 minutes on the day of the program!), many heart-felt prayers from people close-by and far-away, and a serious leap of faith, those involved with the first-ever Spirit Lake Community Christmas Pageant humbly witnessed the Lord’s amazing faithfulness once again.
In spite of the craziness and chaos leading up to it, the kids pulled together and did an absolutely beautiful job of acting out the Christmas story. We had one precious, last-minute Mary (our original Mary didn’t show up on Saturday), 3 shepherds, 3 wisemen, a “multitude” (literally) of angels, and a light-up Wal-mart star plugged in above the stable. Joseph was touch-and-go for a little bit . . . he came for practice in the morning and then decided that he didn’t want to be in the program, so he put on his jacket and I happened to run into him as he was walking out the door. I thought I had talked him into staying, but when we were behind the curtains, ready to start, all we had was the Joseph costume. No Joseph. One of the wisemen agreed to make a last-minute switch, so he was busy changing into the Joseph costume when the original Joseph came running in, throwing off his jacket and gloves . . . he had changed his mind. Again. 🙂
The set was simple, but the truth was clear. It really was beautiful . . . I don’t know how else to describe it. The images and precious faces that I have in my mind as I write this are priceless and I am overwhelmed again by the goodness of the Lord and the perfection of His plans. Sometimes I almost can’t believe what He has given me and what He has allowed me to experience here. Watching and coaching those kids from behind the curtain on Saturday was one of those times . . .
Thanks so much to those of you who took time out of your day to be with us . . . what a blessing to have you there! Thanks, too, to those of you who so willingly helped out with music and sound and so many other things . . . I cannot express how much it means to have you walking this journey with me.
And thanks to all of you have been praying so faithfully. Please know that the Lord has and continues to answer your prayers for us and the work that He is doing here . . . the Christmas program is over, but we pray that the message is lasting. As my dear sister-in-law wrote in an email to me earlier today, “We will continue to pray that the faithfulness you showed to the kids, community, and to the message of Christmas has a resounding impact on the reservation.”
Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to Your name be the glory, because of Your love and faithfulness… Psalm 115:1
