Barefoot Bellringing

This week is one of those crazy weeks, with meetings or events every day and every night. Very little time for looking after myself and that’s before we hit Christmas. Yeesh.

This Friday I’m participating for the second year in our Community Festival of Lights. Each year a local celebrity is asked to flip the ceremonial switch that will light the Seasonal Display at the Municipal Offices.

Last year we tried to work in a blessing just after the lights were lit. Didn’t work. Nobody listened. So I wondered if it was worth even trying? This year we are reformatting the order, so the kids are in control. The Mayor will speak, introduce our local celebrity and then we will light the lights, enjoy some choirs and the community sing-song will start.

As we start winding down the program, THEN we will talk about the reason why we have gathered. We are gathering for community, to see Santa, and to be together. And we are gathering to prepare ourselves for the birth of a baby, a very special baby. We will sing Silent Night and O Holy Night. And then we will go home.

Well, after we clean up the detritus and put the chairs away. And then there will be beer.

I’m looking forward to this event. Usually I shy away from community events because of the crowd sizes, but this year it will be different. I’m becoming part of the community; these are my people. And that makes a difference.

So even though I’ve got 3 days of extreme busy-ness to get to Friday and Friday itself will be crazy…it’s going to be okay. Santa will be there…but so will the Christ – God-with-us.