You Amaze Me

Tonight was Re:new's Christmas party.   We prayed for this night, that it would be something special, something meaningful.   

(Here's where I would insert a meaningful picture if I would have remembered my camera battery, or if the CF card in my other camera --yes, I brought two--would have worked.)

The day was a busy one.  The boys were AMAZING today with their sweet servant hearts.  I was two steps behind all day, still am, dishes piled in the sink as I write.  With four dozen cookies to bake, three kids to feed and shuttle about town, multiple things on the to-do list and Wm somewhere in Canada, I was feeling less than enthusiastic about putting lipstick on and socializing for the evening.   While I baked at a rather furious pace, barking orders for one of the boys to throw in baking powder and another to whisk GENTLY, please, the ingredients, Gia and Shiloh manned the floor, eagerly lapping up any errant bits of cookie dough.  Sweet girls, they will eat anything.  Anything.  Thankfully, this is the only category in which the baby and the dog are lumped together.

Later, while I was still baking, Christian built a pillow fort for Gia, and Ethan offered to walk home from swim practice, saving me a trip.  I could have kissed them both a million times.  

So back to the party.  I was slightly late, cookies and two useless cameras in tow.  And, wow, so many people came!!!   I think all of our regular students came and so many of the teachers too!  It was a great gathering.  The ladies brought their yummy rice and vegetables and chapati and a rice pudding sort of thing...all soo good.  Martha came up with a two-minute craft of ribbons and bells on a stick that you wave around.  Supposed to be the rage at weddings?  I haven't been to a wedding in years, so I wouldn't know.  Whatever the case, it was a hit, the gals dancing around and...well, you had to be there.

THEN all was quiet.  The Word of God does that.  Matthew was read, the story of Christmas.  It was read tenderly and beautifully, and I could have wept.  Here we were, Muslims and Christians breaking bread together, laughing and celebrating the semester, silenced and still before God.   Joseph, Mary and Jesus.  Yusef, Maryam and Isa al Masih.  Two ordinary people in a dying world and one Holy God-became-baby to save us all.   As my friend said later, the applause after the story was unforgettable.   And now I will stop telling about this night and get to my dishes, because the rest is not so important.  We love Muslims.  God loves Muslims.   They just don't know it yet.  Did their hearts feel a twinge of that love tonight?  I know so.  He was Immanuel, God with Us.

As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven, 

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower

and bread for the eater,

so is my word that goes out from my mouth.

It will not return to my empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11

Father, You amaze me.  In those moments we fear, you demolish fear and cast light.  Amen and hallelujah that you are WITH US!