Christmas Eve in Marble........I have always loved Christmas Eve. It has always been that day when Christmas is so very close but not quite time for the presents from Santa. Christmas Eve evenings as a child brought presents from grandparents. And as many of you from Clement may relate, as a child I would beg my parents to take me by Miss Eva Belle's house to see if her Santa made it on the roof. Many of you know what I am talking about.

As an adult Christmas Eve has always been a very spiritual day for me; a day in which I could concentrate even more on the true meaning of Christmas just before the hustle of Christmas day. This year in Marble I felt like I was living in a Christmas Card. It snowed all day long and well into the night. Every spruce tree, every fir tree, and every pine tree decorated with layers of snow became a Christmas tree. Snow is a silent event, falling quietly touching everything and cleansing with its whiteness. So it seemed to me as if all of nature in Marble was singing "Silent Night."

I was giving a drama presentation called "Mary's Mother" in the Christmas Eve service. So I had to wait in the pastor's office while the people gathered. Our historical church was magnificently dressed in its Christmas ware. Candles were lit, the tree was lit and everything sang of " O Holy Night." As I was sitting in the office praying and contemplating about what I had to share with the congregation, I could only hear the people gathering and only hear the songs being sung. What I could see was only out of the office window. It was night and the snow was still falling but the lights from the church shining on the snow revealed a different world from its daylight counterpart. Christmas carols, choir specials, special solo, not seen but heard, and the snow still falling; truly it was a "Silent Night, Holy Night."

Then I stepped out to give the drama presentation. Our little church was full. I told the Christmas story from the view point of Mary's mother. I shared the prophecies of His birth, the angel's announcement, the belief and faith of a young virgin, the doubts and then belief of a righteous man who would take the virgin Mary as his wife. I ended with the reading of the birth and the shepherds' wonder and praise at all that they "had seen and heard." Then I announced, "Joy to the World, the Lord IS come, Joy to the world! The congregation responded by singing out that great carol proclaiming "Joy to the World!"

Christmas Eve for me in Marble with all its beauty, with its snow, with the faithful celebrating together His birth was truly "on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests."