Day 7: Stay Out of Bethlehem

 

Day 7

Love came down at Christmas

Love all lovely, love divine;

Love was born at Christmas;

star and angels gave the sign.

“Let me give you a hand. You must be the new kindergarten teacher. I teach industrial arts to the middle grades, translation, shop class — carpentry, design, small engines, and so on. My name is Joe.” 

Picking up her fallen bags, Celia nodded a quick “Hi,” ducked under his arm, and scurried down the hall to her classroom. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Joe lugging a small pine tree down the opposite hall. She hadn’t given Joe another thought for the rest of that busy first semester. 

On the day before the holiday break began, Starbright School had a tradition of gathering all of the students in the gym for a carol sing. Joe accompanied on the piano, pounding out melodies as the music teacher directed the children in their favorite holiday songs. His fingers flew over the keys and a smile lit his face. “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “Jingle Bells,” “Up on the Housetop,” all kid-pleasers. How the children laughed when Joe held out the first note of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” so long that they were gasping for breath. 

The last carol was always “Silent Night.” Tears pricked Celia’s eyes as she listened to the sweet, almost-angelic, singing of the students, escaping when they settled on Joe and saw that he was blinking away tears of his own. He caught her eye, and the rest, as they say, was history.  

Advent Challenge: Advent is a time for preparing to welcome the Holy Infant and thanking God for the many blessings He has given us in years past. Get out your photo albums or view some photos stored in your computer. Give thanks for every person in your photos. Share a favorite or two with the younger members of your family or friends. 

Prayer: Worship we the Godhead, love incarnate, love divine; worship we our Jesus, but wherewith for sacred sign? Love shall be our token; love be yours and love be mine; love to God and others, love for plea and gift and sign. Lord, let our love be the sign of your love to the world. Amen