"What can i give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, i would bring a lamb; If i were a Wise Man, i would do my part; Yet what i can give Him: give my heart." ~ In the Bleak Midwinter, Christina Georgina Rossetti

To think it all began with Ren Man and his nosey self seeing a fourteen year old lad wearing a blue t-shirt emblazoned with...

 "Mr. Tuba".

He plays the tuba in the band of a local high school and mentioned their Christmas Concert taking place at none other than one of my very favorite churches in town...

St. Machar's Cathedral...

the very next evening.

Not knowing quite what to expect...

 the majestic bells elbowed their vibrations through the mist and drizzling rain to welcome a capacity crowd into the church where we squeezed in between family members and other guests to hear the music and the 'greatest story ever told'...

 read by students of Aberdeen Grammar School.

As I sat there listening to the concert band, string orchestra, choir and soloist...

all students...

from a public school...

 performing Christmas hymns I grew up with, and introducing some new ones...

I could not help but reflect on the students of the school in Connecticut and others all across America.

Communities everywhere are heart-broken, as am I,

 for the families of those whose lives were cut short.

Visions of Christmas gifts that will sit unopened,

under trees whose lights are no longer twinkling...

are haunting.

By contrast, the evening in St. Machar's was beautiful...

and peaceful...

and heartwarming.

If only, those feelings could be spinkled over America right now.

That somehow, in the shadows of this tragedy, the heart felt love being shown to those suffering in Newtown will overshadow evil acts and bring about a sense of hope...

where Peace on Earth...

& Joy to the World are truth.

Thank you Aberdeen Grammar and to St. Machar for allowing them to have this special program in such a reverent setting,

filled with grateful hearts.

Happy Tuesday.