Angel We Heard On High

Every child wants to be the angel in the Christmas play.

The wings and halo are just so enticing.

So, when you are the only girl in the Sunday School class

and

 your mom writes the play,

being chosen for the coveted role is a done deal.

I realized tradition and Scripture don't always mesh.

The angel in Christmas programs has always been a girl.

Then, my wise  daughter asked me,

"Mom, is Gabriel a girl's name?"

I'm thinking to myself,

"Duh, it's a boy name."

So I smartly replied that Gabriel is a boys name for humans,

but our angel was a girl.

What's a mother to do?

Because we wanted to go for a dramatic entrance,

and we didn't have those wires that made Peter Pan fly,

we settled for hiding the angel behind the piano when the adults

were downstairs snacking on Christmas cookies and coffee.

Just as the shepherds were surprised,

so was the audience.

The beautiful blonde angel popped from behind the piano,

the talented piano player shared her bright light for a moment

and the angel shone with glory while proclaiming,

"Fear not!

For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you;

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

We actually heard a few gasps from the crowd, so we were delighted.

Audience reaction is so rewarding, isn't it?

 

"Angel we have heard on high
sweetly singing o'er the stage."

This beautiful dress was sewn by a friend, Marilyn,

when her daughter was in a wedding years ago.

It's hung in our closet waiting for Rebekah to grow into it.

It was the perfect angel costume.

After spending the Saturday before the play

sewing the other five costumes, I was beat.

But, I still didn't have angel wings.

Scott and I drove to a party store

hoping to find a ready made pair.

It was closed.

We had about 20 minutes before Michael's closed,

so ran through the aisles looking for something that

could quickly and easily be turned into wings.

Super large white chenille stems were found on the clearance aisle.

Score!

A few twists, a few twist ties to hold the twists in place,

 a few knots in skinny elastic,

and angel wings were born.

"Good tidings of great joy."

Hmmm..

I'll be honest, not feeling a lot of joy today.

I'm thinking of all I need to do,
all I will never get done,
and how to pull it all together in less than 48 hours.

All I really wanna' do is sit in my pj's and drink coffee.

We've been given good tidings that should bring us great joy.

Not just joy,
great joy.

If there's no joy,
that's our fault,
not heaven's.

He already provided all we need in a manger.