"A little child shall lead them"
Read Isaiah 11:1-6
A few years back during the busy Advent season, I was running through the church picking up trash. In my mind I was yelling, "For goodness sake! Why is it so difficult for people to pick up after themselves? Styrofoam cups, napkins, pencils, mugs, etc were all over the building. People had left coats, and a mitten or two along with an umbrella and a hat. Someone's eyeglasses were on a table.
There is enough to do getting ready for Christmas Day besides picking up trash other than my own. I still had shopping, baking, wrapping, and cleaning to do. There was no luxury of getting it all done Christmas Eve as I was committed to sing in the choir for two services, and our children were in a third.
Upon entering the Great Hall I saw a gold envelope, the kind we use for special offerings, lying under the manager with baby Jesus on the piano. There it was again, trash! Picking up the envelope I noticed a child had colored a rainbow on one side, and on the other were two beautiful flowers planted in a garden complete with sun and clouds. By the flowers, the words "I love you Jesus" were printed in pen. Below in the grass were the words, "From: Faith, To: Jesus.” I had discovered a letter inside. There was a red heart that covered the whole page and inside the heart was a picture of baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes. I knew it was Jesus as it was labeled. There was another salutation that stated: "To: Jesus, From: Faith, I love you Jesus.”
What a wonderful gift had been left under the manger for the baby Jesus. This child named Faith had created a beautiful portrait of how she envisioned the baby Jesus and sent it to Him. By finding the envelope and reading the message Faith had reminded me of the greatest gift God had given us, His Son. The letter made me pause and reconsider all that I was doing for Advent and why. Faith had led me to renew my faith.
Lynn Van de Putte
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