If I’m honest, I haven’t had a truly restful Sabbath in many months and it’s beginning to wear on me. That’s definitely something I want to assess and address in the New Year. I think back to times in my life when I was really intentional with keeping my Sundays extremely rest oriented, and they were, no surprise, the better years of my life!
That being said, it’s still true that even busy Sundays can be good. And today was definitely a good (and busy) Sunday! It started out with me doing prep work at home for next week’s church Christmas play. Remind me again why I agreed to be in charge?? I’m kidding, as it’s actually been a blast, it’s just also been another strain on my packed schedule and I wish I felt a little bit more prepared.
At church, I practiced with the kids during service, and then again at an after church practice on stage for the first time. I felt like it went really well! Better than I was expecting, if I’m honest. I was anticipating a lot of wiggling coming from the peanut gallery for those kids who were waiting their turn on stage. But I’m telling you, those kids stayed extremely still and quiet until just the last few minutes, and there was very little silliness overall. I was so proud of them! They also just seem to be enjoying the play in general, which is really gratifying! I remember being in many a church play that felt lame or overdone or hard to connect with. I think the kids really get a kick out of the heist storyline. It warms my heart that something I wrote is being genuinely appreciated by a bunch of children! Hopefully the material connects with parents and audience members as well next week. NEXT WEEK. EGADS!! We can do it!
After play practice, my friend G and I went to a Christmas concert at a local private school, Mercersburg Academy. I’d been before, and remembered it being really moving, and it was again. The academy has this unbelievably beautiful chapel with incredible architecture and stained glass, and the concert features an orchestra ensemble and a full choir. So magical! It really got me into the Christmas spirit, and not the superficial kind. It really sounded like heaven in there. At one point, the sun shone through a window up on the balcony and beamed directly onto my face and my face alone, which at first was comical, and then quite annoying and a little embarrassing, and then felt kind of providential. I mean this was the brightest light I think I’ve ever seen, like the sun being magnified through a magnifying glass x1000, directly onto my face!! That feels a little Biblical doesn’t it? A little Numbers 6:24-26-esque, am I right? I don’t know exactly what to take from that experience, but it was an interesting reminder of God’s overwhelming power and majesty. I think I’ll be reflecting on it (no pun intended) for some time to come.
After the concert, I headed back to G’a place and we watched one of our more recent favorite Christmas movies together, “Silver Skates”. If you haven’t seen this one, it’s a must. It’s really a perfect movie in so many ways—just amazing storytelling, setting and costumes that are a feast for the eyes, and this overarching feeling of timelessness. A total classic. It’s on Netflix and came out in the US in 2020. It’s based on a book of the same title by Mary Mapes Dodge. One of these days I’ll need to give it a read! Although I’m almost certain this is one of those instances where the movie is better than the book, because I don’t know how anything could top that movie.
I drove home feeling very Christmassy and happy, and the Christmas lights I passed along the way only added to the warm and fuzzy feelings!
Blessings,
Dakota V
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