little drummer girl: Seattle

come, they told me

pa rum pum pum pum

a new born King to see

pa rum pum pum pum

our finest gifts we bring

pa rum pum pum pum

to lay before the king

pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum

so to honor Him,

Pa rum pum pum pum

when we come

little baby

pa rum pum pum pum

I am a poor boy, too

pa rum pum pum pum

I have no gift to bring

pa rum pum pum pum

that's fit to give our King

pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum

shall I play for you

pa rum pum pum pum

on my drum?

Mary nodded

pa rum pum pum pum

the ox and lamb kept time

pa rum pum pum pum

I played my drum for Him

pa rum pum pum pum

I played my best for Him

pa rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum,

rum pum pum pum

then He smiled at me

pa rum pum pum pum

me and my drum

I am FINALLY done with this semester.  Seriously, the end could not have come quickly enough. But a mere 11 hours ago, I officially submitted and I'm officially done.  I made a 53 on a final yesterday if that gives you any clue as to how exhausted I am.  Mega oops on that.

I've succumbed to the Christmas music, though it doesn't really feel like Christmas in my heart.  If you have not heard Phil Wickham's Christmas album, you are missing out on so much.  It's so good.

I've always loved Little Drummer Boy, really just because I think it's so cute.  But yesterday, I listened, really listened, to the words.

Jesus is born and they tell the people the come see the newborn King.  To honor Him, they bring their finest gifts to present to Him.  The little boy is a poor boy and has no gift that is, what he feels, good enough for Jesus.  He asks if he should play his drum for Jesus.  Mary nods at him and he played for Jesus.  He played his very best for Jesus.  Then, sweet little baby Jesus smiled at him.

What a sweet, sweet story.  

As I prepare my heart for Seattle, little drummer boy has been fresh on my mind.  Every time I choose to see the "how" instead of the "I'm already there" that God is whispering, I see Jesus smiling at me.  Every time I get bogged down by my inadequacies, Jesus smiles at me.  Every time I think of the hard questions I could be asked and my lack of good enough answers to those questions, Jesus smiles at me.

See, there's something really special about us doing our best for Jesus.  There's something really special about recognizing that we don't have much to bring, that our hands are achingly empty, yet showing up and doing our best and being all that we can be is returned by smiles.

Since He was even a baby, Jesus has honored our best.  He has honored our efforts to please Him and my dear (fearful) heart needed to hear that today.

I'm super excited for Seattle.  I'm excited for the work that will be done there.  I'm excited for the friendships I'll build there.  I'm excited for the way that I will see God work in the week I'm there.

In spite of all of my excitement, I'm also nervous.  I'm nervous for the words that I won't have to say, nervous for the times I'll feel uncomfortable, I'm nervous for the situations where I won't know what to do.  But I know that the Lord is good and that He is all good.  That He calls us to things for His glory and for our joy and I trust that.  

So I don't have many details for you.  I do know that last night, we had our last Seattle meeting while in Anderson and as we heard about sleepless in Seattle, which is an event we'll be helping with, my eyes filled with tears as my heart considered all Jesus is about to do.  I do know that one day, I'll spend the day with elementary school kids and I'm stoked.  I do know that I'll spend lots of time with people that mean a lot to me and that I'm really excited to know them better.  I don't know what the Lord will do, but I do know it'll be big and sweet and good, really really good.

so here's to Seattle.  here's to the tears I'll cry there (cause, duh, we know I will), the laughs I'll laugh, the hard times I'll feel, the peace that'll surround me, and the broken heart I'll return with.  here's to the joy the Lord will bring because Jesus is joy.  here's to the hope we'll spread because the Lord is so sweet.  

I'm excited and not ready, but I'm not sure I ever could be.  here's to you, Jesus, cause you're the very best.  thanks for smiling at me.