joy to the world.

when i found out christmas caroling in the neighborhood was on the agenda for our church's christmas party last night, excitement was not the first word to come to mind.

isn't it awkward to stand and sing in front of people's houses? 

it's going to be COLD! 

lord knows i can't exactly carry a tune.

but i do love christmas, and i didn't want to be left out, so i grabbed a song sheet, put on my coat, and stood in the back of the line as to avoid eye contact with any of the home owners we encountered.

but after we sang in front of our second house and the woman who lived there told us, with tears in her eyes, that this was the best thing to happen to her in 47 years, my attitude definitely changed. 

sometimes the world can seem so dark, so horrible, so broken.

the events of friday did nothing but confirm that evil is real and present all around us. 

but while i stood there and sang in my quietest, off key, ridiculous voice, i felt a true sense of peace. 

as we say "joy to the world, the lord is come" i remembered that in the midst of darkness, light has come.

and as i watched the faces of the people we met turn from confusion to ear to ear smiles, i remembered that there is goodness and grace, even in the midst of all the pain.

and even though i don't understand it all, i am thankful that Emmanuel is with us.

even in the cold, even when we can't sing to save our lives, even when there are more questions than answers, even when the darkness seems more prevalent than the light,

God is with us.

what an amazing gift.