When I was a very little girl, I would go to my great aunt and uncle’s house on Christmas Eve. This involved a seven-hour car journey in the days preceding, a special Christmas outfit chosen ahead of time and gifts carefully planned and wrapped. It was almost overwhelming to a small child; the excitement, the food, the impending visit from Santa Claus…and the gifts!
I remember sitting impatiently through the Christmas Eve services – fidgeting, playing with my aunts’ jewelry and generally making a nuisance of myself. Finally, the service would be over, the choir silent, the greetings given and received and then we could leave!
Outside, the air would be crisp and the sky would be dark. Christmas lights would twinkle in the windows of the homes we passed, and everywhere, on the sidewalks of Downingtown, would be the luminaries. The little bags of sand and candles that the neighbors would carefully place and light were some of the most magical memories that I have. It was a quiet breath of peace inside the exhilaration of the night. The anticipation of the gifts I was about to receive was palpable; but for that brief moment in time, all the excitement was suspended. There was wonder in those quiet lights of the night and the chance to linger outside in the cold before we eagerly walked into warmth and love.
It is not hard for me to imagine that the bright lights I see around me during Christmastime are pointing to the promised Messiah. We do well to remember that this world is not our home; the pain and suffering and sin that surrounds us is not how our dear Father wants us to live.
To me, the luminaries signify the beautiful moments we experience, the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and over all of these, the promise of the New Heaven and New Earth. They are lights along the path; not to great aunt and uncle’s, but a path to the gift of eternal life and the presence of God.
Find yourself a quiet place.
Light a candle.
Reflect.
Trust Him.
Anticipate the gifts that your True Love wants to give you.
Forgiveness, Salvation, Grace, Unending Love, Eternal Life.
Merry Christmas.
ABOUT OUR BLOGGER
Sarah Flowers lives in idyllic Chadds Ford, where she is steeped in beauty and connection to the land and its history. She loves coffee and flowers and getting to know Jesus. A lifelong learner, she seeks to follow God’s plan to bring justice to the under-resourced. Sarah is a self-declared serial optimist and melodiphile; there’s always a path to the sunny side and a soundtrack for the journey! She is a mom and wife and a grateful alumna of Northwood University. Her former iterations include automotive professional and shoe diva. Sarah serves on the Deacon Team at Willowdale Chapel.
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Saturday, December 23 at 5:00 p.m. - BOTH CAMPUSES
Sunday, December 24 at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. - BOTH CAMPUSES
Willowdale en Espanol service on Dec 23 at 5:00 p.m. only - KENNETT CAMPUS
**Please note that we will not have regular morning services on Sunday, December 24.**
If you have the flexibility, and can help us make room for guests and those who do not normally attend Willowdale, we encourage you and your family to attend either our December 23 service at 5:00 p.m. or our December 24 service at 1:00 p.m. Childcare will be provided for Birth – 5 years old on December 23 at 5:00 p.m. and on December 24 at 1:00 and 3:00 p.m. only.