JOY TO THE WORLD

November fills our house with Christmas music coming from the studio, where three of us teach piano four days a week. My dear friends, Trudy and Phyllis, prepare their kids for the annual Christmas party/recital, our Finger Food Festival.

Last year I reminded them that our business is Christian in nature because we are His children and these kids are entrusted to us. "As you teach, feel free to meet the needs of your students beyond the music lesson. Some days they come in here hurting. That one-on-one time may mean they need God's love from you more than a G scale. Let's just be sensitive."

One Friday Cheyenne, a beautiful girl, came in for her lesson. Phyllis assigned and taught the seasonal songs then let her go to lab time.
That means the student dons a headset, listens to the orchestrated version and plays along with the digital keyboard. Hopefully good rhythm and accompaniment skills develop. It's more fun than the metronome of my childhood lessons!

While her protégé worked, Phyllis sat nearby on the other piano, playing Mary, Did You Know?

Removing her headset, Cheyenne listened attentively to her teacher playing, then asked, "Mrs. Parker, what's the name of that song?"

"It's Mary, Did You Know. Do you like it?"


"Yes ma'am." Also a lovely singer, Cheyenne probed, "What are the words?"


Phyllis sang then began to explain phrases like


Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water? ...save your sons and daughters? ...that your Baby Boy has come to make you new? This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.


...will give sight to a blind man? ...will calm the storm with His hand? ...is the Lord of all creation? ...will one day rule the nations?


When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God.



Did you know that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect lamb? The sleeping Child you're holding is the great I Am.



What happened next was simply the most natural sharing of Christ, as Phyllis led Cheyenne to the Lord.


Both had tears in their eyes, as the Christ of Christmas became more than a song...Emmanuel, God with us.


When Mrs. Jones, a believer and school teacher, came to pick up her daughter, Phyllis invited her into the studio.


"Nichole, can you come in for a minute please? Cheyenne has something to tell you."


"Ohhhh no..." came the wise mother and veteran teacher's suspicious response.


Laughing, Phyllis added, "Oh don't worry. It's good news."


THE Good News.


Fear not! For behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people..."


...and especially to Cheyenne today.


Joy to the world. The Lord has come!
May He fill your Christmas with His rich


Blessings!
Kathy