"Mrs. Lindsay, the sun is shining in my eyes."

What a blessing Manhattan and my church, University Christian Church, have been to me. What a blessing my husband is to me.

This morning was just as amazing as I imagined it would be. Energizing, rejoicing, filling... I saw at one point, in my heart, while we were singing "Holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. Worthy, worthy is Your name," every one in the room, bowing low before the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, our Savior, and His presence. I could see the Light, God's presence shining even through the lights that were on the stage. I could hear the voices of the multitude like a roar singing "Hallelujah! Salvation, and glory, and power belong to our GOD. I could feel the power and peace, comfort and joy of our Deliverer, Savior, our Strength, and Salvation. And the most beautiful part of it all is that even though I was elevated on a platform singing with a microphone, I was a just one part of it. Just one of many parts of the multitude giving God thanks, and glory, honor, power, and praise.

How amazing.

Then tonight I was so blessed to work with the children in the children's choir. I know why Jesus said, "let the little children come to me." It would be a shame to see any part of their precious hearts corrupted by this world. I was thankful to be able to provide our little ones with the chance to sing and worship God. I was thankful for each of their hugs, and their giddy nerves, and their voices, and sleepy faces. I just kept saying, on the way home, "I'm so proud of them!" I'm so proud of my kids, so thankful for their parents and loved ones, and so thankful for my wonderful husband who serves me so selflessly.

"Mrs. Lindsay, the sun is shining in my eyes." When my kids got on stage, one of our youngest was right in front of the microphone and wasn't phased at all by the audience. The lights were on the stage, and brighter than what we practiced with. Little man thought the lights were the sun, and they were pretty bright. But isn't that how it is... or at least how it should be? I pray that as you enter this Christmas and holiday season, you do so with the Light of the World, Jesus Christ, in your eyes and always before you. I hope you can see others as He sees them, love others as He loves them, and know for yourself the great love of God.

Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

He grew up before him like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

He was despised and rejected by mankind,

a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.

Like one from whom people hide their faces

he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

Surely he took up our pain

and bore our suffering,

yet we considered him punished by God,

stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was on him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to our own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.         

Isaiah 53:1-6

Praise the Lord. Amen.