Each  December, I vowed to make Christmas a calm and peaceful  experience.
I had cut  back on nonessential obligations - extensive card writing, endless baking,  decorating, and even overspending.
Yet still, I found myself exhausted, unable to  appreciate the precious family moments, and of course, the true meaning of  Christmas.
My son,  Nicholas, was in kindergarten that year. It was an exciting season for a six  year old.
For weeks, he'd  been memorizing songs for his school's "Winter  Pageant."
I didn't have the  heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss  his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress  rehearsal the morning of the presentation.
All parents unable to at tend that evening were  welcome to come then.
Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the  compromise.
So, the morning  of the dress rehearsal, I filed in ten minutes early, found a spot on the  cafeteria floor and sat down. Around the room, I saw several other parents  quietly scampering to their seats.
As I waited, the students were led into the room. Each  class, accompanied by their teacher, sat cross-legged on the floor. Then, each  group, one by one, rose to perform their song.
Because the public school  system had long stopped referring to the holiday as "Christmas," I didn't expect  anything other than fun, commercial entertainment songs of reindeer, Santa  Claus, snowflakes and good cheer.
So, when my son's class rose to sing,  "Christmas Love," I was slightly taken aback by its bold title.
Nicholas  was aglow, as were all of his classmates, adorned in fuzzy mittens, red  sweaters, and bright snowcaps upon their heads.
Those in the front row-  center stage - held up large letters, one by one, to spell out the title of the  song.
As the class would sing "C is for Christmas," a child would hold up  the letter C. Then, "H is for Happy," and on and on, until each child holding up  his portion had presented the complete message, "Christmas Love."
The  performance was going smoothly, until suddenly, we noticed her; a small, quiet,  girl in the front row holding the letter "M" upside down - totally unaware her  letter "M" appeared as a "W".
The  audience of 1st through 6th graders snickered at this little one's mistake. But  she had no idea they were laughing at her, so she stood tall, proudly holding  her "W".
Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter  continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together.
A  hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen.
In that instant, we  understood the reason we were there, why we celebrated the holiday in the first  place, why even in the chaos, there was a purpose for our  festivities.
For  when the last letter was held high, the message read loud and  clear:
          "C  H R I S T W A S  L O V E"
    
And, I  believe, He still is.
Amazed in His presence... .humbled by His  love.
Again, HAVE A BLESSED HOLIDAY SEASON.