Thankful to Have a Song
(Yesterday I didn't get a chance to post, but I was grateful for friends who create a safe village for my kids to grow up in. I also missed Thursday because two friends came over for Bible study. Sidenote: If you've thought of starting a Bible study, this is the perfect size. We've been studying together a couple years and I'm so grateful.)
When you start looking for things to be grateful for, you see them more easily. Today there were lots of things I felt thankful for, but my favorite was listening to my daughter practice a Christmas song on the piano.
I always enjoy hearing her play and tonight she practiced Little Drummer Boy, which is a favorite of mine. When I was young and the Christmas mania was in stark contrast with what my family could afford, I fell in love with this song. The boy has nothing to bring Jesus, except a song and baby Jesus smiles. "I am a poor boy too," spoke to me of the dignity of people, all people, and how Jesus didn't choose to be rich because that's not what's important.
Having doesn't give us value or worth. Jesus, the most worthy, valuable human didn't have the statement pieces people recognize. Have you ever noticed someone's Uggs, or Michael Kors purse or BMW and thought, "Ohhh." I have. What do we think we now know about that person? They matter more because of their buying power? They are the real deal while the rest of us are wanna-be's, trying to get-the-look at Target? Or do you just wish you could afford to shop at Target?
While the 80's and 90's commercials painted glossy expectations for Christmas and families and, you know life, the 2000's haven't been a walk in the park. Yes, styles are more earthy, vintage is cool, and there are definitely genres in which money is spent differently, but it still seems important. Whether you're a hippie investing in Birkenstocks or a fancy mom buying her kids lunch at an organic restaurant, money seems like it puts you on the map, whatever map you dream of showing up on.
But equating money with significance is painful. I remember walking into stores in the mall as a teenager and feeling like everyone could tell by my clothes I was "just looking." I felt shame. I felt like a waste of time. I felt like a disappointment.
Into those eewy-guey where-can-I-hide feelings came this song. I know the boy says the line, but I always imagined Jesus saying it to me, "I am a poor boy too." He knows what it's like to be written off because you don't have the nice things. He sees past trappings to what's really going on. How's your heart? Do you have a song to sing? A song to share? Then it doesn't matter does it?
Just play me your song.
It's enough.
It's actually everything.
When you start looking for things to be grateful for, you see them more easily. Today there were lots of things I felt thankful for, but my favorite was listening to my daughter practice a Christmas song on the piano.
I always enjoy hearing her play and tonight she practiced Little Drummer Boy, which is a favorite of mine. When I was young and the Christmas mania was in stark contrast with what my family could afford, I fell in love with this song. The boy has nothing to bring Jesus, except a song and baby Jesus smiles. "I am a poor boy too," spoke to me of the dignity of people, all people, and how Jesus didn't choose to be rich because that's not what's important.
Having doesn't give us value or worth. Jesus, the most worthy, valuable human didn't have the statement pieces people recognize. Have you ever noticed someone's Uggs, or Michael Kors purse or BMW and thought, "Ohhh." I have. What do we think we now know about that person? They matter more because of their buying power? They are the real deal while the rest of us are wanna-be's, trying to get-the-look at Target? Or do you just wish you could afford to shop at Target?
While the 80's and 90's commercials painted glossy expectations for Christmas and families and, you know life, the 2000's haven't been a walk in the park. Yes, styles are more earthy, vintage is cool, and there are definitely genres in which money is spent differently, but it still seems important. Whether you're a hippie investing in Birkenstocks or a fancy mom buying her kids lunch at an organic restaurant, money seems like it puts you on the map, whatever map you dream of showing up on.
But equating money with significance is painful. I remember walking into stores in the mall as a teenager and feeling like everyone could tell by my clothes I was "just looking." I felt shame. I felt like a waste of time. I felt like a disappointment.
Into those eewy-guey where-can-I-hide feelings came this song. I know the boy says the line, but I always imagined Jesus saying it to me, "I am a poor boy too." He knows what it's like to be written off because you don't have the nice things. He sees past trappings to what's really going on. How's your heart? Do you have a song to sing? A song to share? Then it doesn't matter does it?
Just play me your song.
It's enough.
It's actually everything.
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