Last year Christmas seemed to arrive faster than we could get everything together for Santa. By Christmas eve, my husband was still out shopping at 5pm and all thoughts of going to church to belt out “Joy to the World” melted away with the pouring rain. Instead we wrapped presents and finished icing cookies and decided to go on Christmas Day – despite much grumbling from my sons, (we never go on Christmas day!) and my feeling that I’d never get Christmas dinner finished!! But, I do like a chance once a year to sing “Hark the Herald Angels Sing”so we bundled up and off we went. As we sat in our usual seats on the right side, the Reverend came over and let us know it wouldn’t be crowded if we’d like to move to the center. As we shifted over, I looked up and beheld a ring of candles held by brass angels floating just inside the chancel. It looked like a crown…… I was transported back to my childhood and dreams of floating amongst the stars holding hands with angels….. The back of the program described the ring as a trendle. It was the custom in the Middle Ages to hang a trendle in the chancel to represent the star which guided the shepherds to the Christ child at Christmas and the Wise Men at Epiphany. What a beautiful description.
Had we not gone to church at a different time, which facilitated moving our seats, the beautiful ring would have been missed. By simply shifting our rhythm, we were shown a crown of grace. This holiday season, celebrate the changes that come your way and see what magic is in store for you.
enlightenedcollector ™ 