Monday, December 27, 2010

A Full Heart

My heart is full (and so is my stomach!) as I sit and reflect on the past few days. It's been a wonderful combination of baking, visiting, eating, worshiping, giving, singing, receiving.

One of the sweetest times was the Christmas Eve service at my MIL's church. When GG, my German exchange daughter, saw in the program that we were singing Silent Night at the end while holding candles, she was a bit wistful that it wasn't the original German version of Stille Nacht, which is one of her favorite Christmas songs. I assured her that she could sing in German while we were singing in English. As the pastor neared the end of his message, he spoke of the song and told the history behind its writing. He said that the first time it was sung in public, it was accompanied by a lone guitar. Then he said, "I'm going to sing the first verse as it was originally sung while (the music minister) accompanies me on guitar." GG and I looked at each other in disbelief! It was such a sweet time hearing it sung in German. GG posted on FB that God had given her "a very special gift," and that when he began singing in German, "I was so overwhelmed with joy. God was looking out for me because he loves me so much. He really is good when we least expect it."

I knew the pastor had spent a number of his growing-up years in Germany while his dad was in the military, but I never expected him to sing in German! (And he has a wonderful voice! He should sing more often!)

After the Christmas Eve service, we spoke with him and expressed our thanks, and then we went to meet their new music minister. His wife is a cousin of a man in our church, so we wanted to connect with him. When I introduced GG, he turned to her and began speaking in German! As it turns out, he and his wife were IMB missionaries in Germany for eight years! Not only that, but they were in Munich, which GG lives just outside of! We told him she had just accepted Christ last Sunday, and he told her that when she returns to Germany, he can help connect her with some believers and a Christian church. I thought my heart would burst from joy!

On Christmas Day, we enjoyed opening gifts and stockings and then headed to my man's brother's house for lunch and visiting. It was a wonderful day. And I decided no one sleeps as soundly as a parent on Christmas night!

Yesterday it was a joy to go back to church for worship, then go out to eat with my MIL, and then spend the afternoon reading, dozing, and generally relaxing with no to-do list! It's been a perfect Christmas!






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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I bet it was beautiful in German. Would loved to have heard it :) Glad you had a good Christmas :)

quilly said...

How wonderful! God is good!

STILLMAGNOLIA said...

I love Silent Night sung in German. If you ever get to Frankenmuth, MI....there is a Christmas store there...called Bronners and they have an outdoor replica of the chapel where Silent Night was first performed...and the words in every language. It is awesome!

Barbara H. said...

What a wonderful blessing for your family and GG!

Anonymous said...

I got chills reading this. God is SO good!!!!

Lea @ CiCis Corner said...

Loved reading this, just another reminder of what a good job our God does in orchestrating events.

Blessings to you these last few days of 2010!

Cathy said...

Isn't God amazing?!? Who else could have worked all that out? He is such a wonderful God of the details!

Thank you for sharing this story.

bp said...

Such a joy to read this. I will pray for GG.

happy New Year!