The Jesus Effect

This was a busy day. The Christmas season is upon us, and our work email server went from being slower than molasses in January to being completely down. Not a great start, on a day when I already felt a bit overwhelmed.  Each of my preschool classes was to have a turn practicing their Christmas program in the sanctuary, on the big stage. For me, the day was full to the brim, trying to fit in everything we would normally do in a preschool day, but in 25 fewer minutes per class. Practice time sliced into the day – important to do but still interrupting the flow of our regular schedule. When the time rolled around for my second class to have their turn practicing in the sanctuary, I was feeling in a groove, ready to be “all-about” the smooth flow of the rehearsal: in and out, get ‘er done. Then it happened; I was at the front of the line, with 17 wiggly, excited four-and five-year-olds following closely behind me. The little girl right behind me audibly gasped as we walked into the sanctuary. “It’s Jesus!” she said, looking up.

I sometimes forget the beauty of the stained glass in our church. Well, not really forget – there’s too much history in that glass to forget. But I do tend to take it for granted. It’s there week after week, after all, as am I.  I stopped the line for a moment. We took the time as a class to talk about both stained glass windows, the big one in front of the sanctuary and the smaller one in the back.

Jesus, tending his sheep....

 Jesus, praying in the garden....

That gasp and that pause were just what I needed to refocus the day. 

“It’s Jesus!”

Lord, help me remember that feeling of awe when I come into Your presence. Don’t let the distractions or inconveniences of the day keep me from embracing You.  Teach me to keep You involved in every moment of my holiday preparation, because Christmas is and always has been all about You. Amen.