A Christmas concert and a "Gift"

As I thought about the gifts that I would be giving for Christmas this year, I decided to fore go the traditional gifts and just give the gift of "time"spent with a dear friend. No store bought packages wrapped in pretty paper or tied up with fancy bows. Just some good quality one on one time to enjoy the company of a good friend. After all, isn't that what Christmas is all about? Well, little did I know, that an agreement between 2 friends to spend an afternoon together, would end up being one of my most precious gifts of all time. Let me share with you just exactly why.

We decided to meet for lunch at the mall - but this was not to be just any lunch. You see, for a couple of weeks before Christmas every year, the radio station hosts a "Christmas concert" everyday during lunch. Each day they post a list of who the guest performers will be. I was so excited when I saw that the day that we had set aside for our "gift" to each other would have as their guest performer, Paul Cardall. Now, if you have never heard of Paul, his music is beautiful and inspiring to say the least. In fact, it is his music that first plays when you log on to my blog. I just love his version of Silent Night. Anyway, the morning of the concert had arrived and believe me, I had high expectations of all of the many things that I was going to accomplish that morning before I made my way to the mall. -Getting kids off to school, picking up the house, shopping and picking up Christmas cards were all on my list of things "to do." Well, like many mornings with little ones, things do not always seem to go quite as you plan. I always try to be flexible, but this particular day I was feeling pretty overwhelmed. As hard as I was trying, I simply felt like I was only moving backwards all morning and everything that I tried to get "done," very quickly became "undone" by my sweet little Kambriella. The Christmas letter that I had typed up to mail to our family and friends became "history" pretty quickly when she erased it off of the computer screen. The oatmeal that she was having for breakfast made much better floor wax and finger paint than actual food, and the chocolate advent calendars that grandma gave the kids became fun packages to rip open along with all of the presents under the tree. Needless to say, I didn't accomplish much before we left for the concert, and all I could do when I finally got in the car was to strap all of us in and take a deep breath. It was a much needed and enjoyed quiet 10 minute ride to the mall. When we got there, Gavin, Kambriella, and I were all excited and ready for a little "Christmas cheer." As I sat with my friend and waited for the concert to begin, we giggled at the amount of "productivity" that went on earlier that morning. Then, Paul came out onto the stage and they introduced him and welcomed him back to their "Christmas tradition" which he had been a part of for 10 years now, all except for last year that is. You see, Paul was born a "heart baby" just like Kambriella. What I didn't know was how close he had come to death so many times, and that last year he had finally received a heart transplant. So, with the stillness and beauty of his piano playing, he proceeded to thank his Heavenly Father for a second chance at life and for the opportunity to be with his family at Christmas time. He expressed such a simple yet heartfelt message of being grateful for the little things and the little ones in our lives. He spent many hours at Primary Children's Hospital and saw far too many stories with unhappy endings. Because of the closeness of these things to his "heart," he played a song that he wrote and dedicated to all of the "heart babies" like him. The song he played is titled "Gracie's song." As he spoke these simple words and played the sweet song, my heart swelled with emotion to the point of overflowing. Tears came to my eyes and began streaming down my cheeks. I could not stop them from flowing any more than I could stop my heart from pounding and the lump in my throat from growing. I sat and sobbed uncontrollably through the whole song. Sweet little Gavin noticed my emotion and put his hand on my back and his cheek on my shoulder. All the while I was feeling this way, I was admiring my sweet little baby Kambriella and thanking Heavenly Father that she was alive and well, and there to be a part of our family and to share in this Christmas with us. I thanked Him for all of the smeared oatmeal and the tiny shreds of wrapping paper that littered the kitchen floor. I thanked Him for damaged advent calendars and deleted Christmas letters all skillfully constructed by two little hands with a strong will and a "strong heart." This Christmas concert became a gift to me from Heavenly Father who so tenderly reminded me of the important things in life and that it's really not the "things" that matter at all. There were many other special moments of tender mercies and revelation that came to my mind during that concert. I felt for a moment that time was literally standing still as I sat in a mall, of all places, and was learning one of life's greatest lessons. Along with testimony shared through word and song, a man in a wheelchair that needed a little "help" at Christmas, some physically handicapped adults that sang their hearts out - dancing and clapping along at times, the tender sweet smile of a dear friend, and the company of two of my very own precious little angels, Paul ended his concert with none other than my very favorite version of "Silent Night." Yet another tender mercy to let me know that I am loved and known deeply and personally by my Heavenly Father. How could it be that the thought of giving a gift to a friend of spending some quality time together, could turn out to be one of the most precious gifts of a lifetime? Well, that's what happens at Christmas. It happened on the first Christmas and it's happening now. The miracle of the Christ child's birth has blessed the lives of people for ages, and it is blessing my life today. I love my Savior and I am so thankful for the "gifts" that He so freely gives both at Christmas time and every day throughout the year. Merry Christmas!