CHRISTMAS.

This last spring quarter, I played what is called a recital. Because I am a music major with an emphasis in Saxophone Performance, these concerts, given at the end of my 3rd and 4th years of college respectively, are really important. So I practiced and practiced, and one spring afternoon I played a concert consisting of really hard saxophone music, and they recorded it. As I was leaving to work at Camp-of-the-Woods, I told my Dad that the copy of my recital recording was in the car. My dad had been able to make it to the concert, but my mom couldn't, so he was going to snag it and play it for my mom.

Fast forward six months to today: my whole family is over, and my mom decides to play my recital for my family. She says that she has been playing it for all of their friends, and they've been amazed by it. As my family leans in and the music begins, my first thought is, "Wow, I sounded really good that day. Better than I thought." As the music progresses, I get a sinking feeling in my stomach: it's too good.

Here's what happened - in the week preceding my recital I had made a CD of all of the music that I would be playing on my concert, as performed by professional saxophonists. I would listen to it in my car to pick up on stylistic interpretation and other stuff, so that I could get a better idea of what the pieces were supposed to sound like. It was this CD that my dad took out of my car and thought to be the recording of me. So as my family listened, I had to stand up and tell them that it was not me to whom they were listening. Needless to say, I was a little embarassed.

But today we celebrated the birth of Jesus, the Immanuel that came to cover up our wretched little tunes with his beautiful melody. Thank you for your grace, for your presence, for your power and strength within us. Thank you that we can now come before GOD the Father and not be ashamed, for you have covered our sins with your perfect and spotless righteousness. Thank you for the most beautiful and perfect of promises: "GOD with us." See you soon.

Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight