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Jessica and Sam had sprung headlong into the Christmas season. It had been so much fun to take their children ice skating and caroling with the youth choir. They had gone downtown for the Christmas parade at the beginning of December, and they had enjoyed the nearby Festival of Trees. Nighttime often meant a drive through other neighborhoods to look at the Christmas decorations shining in the dark. The icicle lights that hung from many roofs transformed subdivisions into winter wonderlands. When they came across a live nativity, they would stop and get out for a closer look, imagining the magic of that night some 2,000 years ago.

At home they had gaily decorated the tree, the house and even the mailbox with garlands, lights and stars! For the first time ever, Sam didn’t complain about stringing lights all around the roof but went about the work with a whistle and a smile. The children worked together to make a gingerbread house, and Brianna – the youngest – was delighted to help her mother make gingerbread men and angel cookies. It was wonderful to see the children being cooperative and friendly with each other. They were overjoyed to have their Dad back home and had agreed among themselves to make it the best Christmas ever.

Now Sam and Jessica sat in the darkened sanctuary awaiting the opening notes of the Christmas Pageant. Jessica was tired but content. After all, she had all of January to catch up on her rest! In any case, the pageant was the last holiday event before the Christmas Eve candlelight service. Since all the gifts had been either made or bought and wrapped, and all the cookies, cakes and candies had been made, and all the decorating had been done, and all the cards had been sent (just thinking of all that work made Jessica want to lay her head in Sam’s lap and take a nap), there would be a peaceful lull in the house for a few days. There would be nothing more exhausting to do than sip hot cocoa and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Frosty the Snowman” on TV.

The first strains of music sounded, and Jessica sat up straight and proud as Maggie advanced to the lectern at the edge of the platform. As the narrator of the pageant, she wore a full-length gown of lavender and a dignified _expression.

“Our baby girl is growing up,” Jessica whispered to Sam, who grinned and squeezed her hand.

The first scene showed the innkeeper and his wife collecting money and finding places to put the guests. When at last there wasn’t even a square inch of space left in the inn, they hung up a “No Vacancy” sign. Then Mary and Joseph trudged slowly down the darkened aisle, making their way to Bethlehem. Joseph saw the sign but tried knocking anyway. The innkeeper pointed him toward the stable off to the side, and there the tired couple, ages six and seven, crawled in to wait.

In the next scene, preschoolers dressed as lambs went running and skipping around the shepherds before lying down for a nap. The congregation chuckled at the entertaining and endearing action. Then the shepherds huddled together, whispering. A sudden bright light startled them. And that’s when Brianna appeared as an angel! She wore a halo of gold garland entwined with silver star garland, a blue gown with a gold sash, and wings with gold glitter and silver stars on them.

In her young, exuberant voice, she told the shepherds not to be afraid, because the Savior had been born that night in Bethlehem. They she joined a choir of angels that sang “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.”

Jessica’s eyes were misty and there was a lump in her throat. Was it simply motherly pride that made her believe that there couldn’t have been a better choice than Brianna for the role of the angel? She sniffed, and Sam gently put his arm around her and lovingly squeezed her shoulder.

The shepherds made their noisy way to the stable where a baby doll had mysteriously appeared in the feed trough. They got down on their knees, bumping and rustling until at last they were quiet.

The end of the next song was the cue for the wisemen to enter. They marched impressively down the aisle until the short one in the front paused and the two behind him collided. Caleb, the tallest of the three, was in the rear. The collision caused his turban to get knocked askew, but he quickly straightened it as a few people giggled. He was carrying a jar of myrrh. He turned his head when the trio passed the pew where the Ransfords were seated and gave his parents a slight smile. Jessica waved; Sam winked.

Once that scene ended, the children all gathered for the final bow. The audience applauded, the actors squirmed and grinned, and then the pastor sent them to their seats while he spoke briefly to his congregation.

The family gathered in the lobby after the dismissal. Brianna and Caleb were bouncing around their parents, seeking compliments on their performances. Maggie stood back with a Mona Lisa smile, looking every bit the elegant young lady that she was becoming. Then one of the teenage boys in church came up behind her and flipped her hair to get a reaction out of her. It worked. She shrieked and chased after him as he laughed and darted through the crowd.

“Has this not been the best Christmas pageant ever?” Jessica asked. Sam agreed heartily, ruffling the hair on Caleb’s now turban-less head and tweaking Brianna’s nose.

“We have been very blessed,” Sam said to his wife. “God is good!”

“All the time!” Brianna chimed in.

Just then Maggie hurried over. “Hey,” she said, “can we go? I can’t wait to change out of this dress!”

“Let’s take the long way home and look at all the Christmas lights!” Caleb suggested.

Sam laughed and said, “Sure, we can do that.”

The family walked into the night with Brianna skipping, Caleb running, and Maggie striding. Following at a stroll were Jessica and Sam, holding hands and grinning like teenagers. It wasn’t the tinsel and lights, the aroma of pine trees and cinnamon, or even the gifts that made them glow with joy. It was being together as a family, laughing and loving each other. More importantly, it was the joy that comes from knowing just how much the Creator of the Universe treasures us; He sent Jesus to be the Savior of us all! Those yearly Christmas pageants serve to remind us of how special we are to God. What a friend we have in Jesus, the reason for the season!

May each of you keep the spirit of Christmas alive in your heart all year long!

Copyright 2002 by Brenda B. Covet