Glory, Glory, Glory

Last evening we crowded four friends into our car with us and went to the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens (again!). Like last week, the lights were amazing. But our purpose was to hear the choir of the St. Stephens African Methodist-Episcopal Zion Church. This concert is one of the defining events of our annual Christmas season. One of the bass singers welcomed us and announced, "The entire purpose of our singing is to bring honor and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, whom we are singing about." And they did! With full voices, precise singing, swaying and clapping, and radiant faces. I thanked him afterwards, and he said he was so nervous--that he really hates to get up in front and speak. Well, he and the entire choir were extremely effective. Also the small band and the only caucasian member, a professional jazz saxophonist whom we've heard before. So good! Several of the tunes keep ringing through my soul.

A friend, who came early to help me prepare for the brunch on Saturday, told me that her husband always prefers to say, "We're getting closer," rather than, "We're getting older." I like that! Closer to the life we all long for, even when we're not aware of it--life that's full of everything good and especially life lived in the real, discernible presence of the God of love. That would be heaven! Life here is sweet, and we certainly don't wish it to end soon, but it really is true: We're getting closer.

This morning I actually have to "look" for that pain in my lung. I'm so thankful to the Lord for His healing touch, and to you for praying.

Love,
Carol