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!