The weeks leading up to Carols Week (which this year begins Saturday, December 1), can honestly only be described as organized chaos. This year has certainly been no exception. You see, when we get into “Carols Mode”, Satan goes on overtime inhabiting everything from UPS trucks to schedules to microphones to the flu and cases of vertigo and surgeries and even cracks in parking lots which cause folks to stumble and be injured. The more that happens, the more convinced I am that the telling of His Story is the most important task given to us to do.
The photo above pulls together snippets of activities occurring since detailed preparation for Amazing Love began in August. Rest assured, this in no way captures everything and particularly not the meetings where everything from music to ticket distribution to processional concepts to lighting plans to greeter organization to set design to auditions for kids to whatever occurred or the long nights of mounting/programming lights or attempting to visualize how to get the choir comfortable thus confident in the loft.
Nor does the collage capture the hours of prayer, of listening, of sharing through personal invitation the reaching out to folks to come and celebrate with us – not to celebrate the “holiday season”; rather to celebrate our Living Savior! As I have said before, in professional terms, it is a “project”. But it is oh so much more.
For out of this chaos, we clearly and with passion tell the Story that can only come from the hearts of believers in Christ, a story that is so different and filled with awe and wonder and even chaos (look up Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion) that it cannot help but be true. We love to tell this story, His Story, and through the telling, show others that Jesus, is indeed, the One who is our peace.
Years ago during Carols preparation, I chose Micah 4:5a as “my verse” for Christmas. This verse goes with me no matter what. More importantly, in context of the entire passage, this verse is the summary statement in the prophecy of Christ’s coming to us, a prophecy, we know, has been fulfilled.
I pray as we move forward through the next ten days and the follow up work beyond that we will rest in His Peace and be embraced by His Amazing Love.
Still Choosing Joy!
Cille
Cille Litchfield 