Day 9: Stay Out of Bethlehem

 

Day 9

Hark! how the bells

Sweet silver bells

All seem to say,

"Throw cares away."

Christmas is here

Bringing good cheer

To young and old

Meek and the bold

“Please hang on a minute,” Celia took the phone away from her ear and searched for the speaker button. Merry had just showed it to her yesterday. Finding it, she laid the phone in an empty butter tub on the counter. In the few seconds this took, she identified the speaker as Althea, the president of the Women’s Guild. Althea’s every conversation was peppered with exclamation points so Celia was not too worried about the news she was about to hear.

“Hello, Althea, what’s happening?” Celia cracked the eggs into a bowl, swished them around with a whisk, and added the cheese. Was this the right way to make an omelet? Celia was an amateur omelet cook. Joe had been the master breakfast chef. Every Saturday morning, Merry and Hurry, his sous chefs, had helped him create veggie omelets or waffles smothered under chocolate, whipped cream, and cherries. With Merry and Hurry, he had crafted pancake-batter teddy bears, dinosaurs, and monster trucks, once even pouring out a passable Yoda. The kids added sunflower seeds, raisins, or chocolate chips, and then giggled as they narrated their devouring of ears, wheels, and feet. The echoes of their laughter filled the kitchen.

Althea’s huffing breath came loud and clear over the phone. These new phones really were a marvel; Althea might be sitting at the kitchen table. “Pastor Alaina’s had an accident! I don’t know what we’re going to do! How can we have Christmas without her?”

Advent Challenge: The laughter of little children is music. Children laugh so easily; a silly face, a corny joke, a tickle, or a funny dance move can evoke peals of laughter. The laughter of children lifts the hearts of adults. What can you do to make children laugh today? Send a funny card, make a silly face on a video call, read a book with sound effects, dance with abandon — do something to make a child laugh today.

Prayer: Oh how they pound, raising the sound, o'er hill and dale, telling their tale, gaily they ring while people sing songs of good cheer. On, on they send, on without end, their joyful tone to ev'ry home. Dear heavenly Father, help us share the joy of your love with children. May our voices join the carol of the bells and the laughter of children in praising you. Amen