Unscripted Moments

The little shepherd boy had refused to take a nap that day, as kids often do when something big is happening. But the show would go on.The father, a drama teacher at a local middle school, was to be the main character in a skit at our church's 5:00 p.m. "Family" Christmas Eve service. His three-year-old son, Andrew, was to play the part of a little shepherd boy. Andrew has a cherubic face with soft marshmallow-cheeks, and he was all dressed up in a very realistic drama-department costume (no making-do with bathrobe costumes for this shepherd and son).

The father shepherd delivered most of the lines, but Andrew piped up with his planned lines perfectly on cue. But about half way through the drama, the shepherd boy's eyelids began to droop considerably. The father, well versed in glossing over hitches in productions, ad-libbed "You must be getting tired. Why don't you come sit on my lap and I'll finish the story."

Andrew climbed into his shepherd-dad's lap, smiled, and the drama went on. But the eyelids got heavy again, and I thought, "Wow, this little boy really is a great actor because he sure looks believable." His little head would nod, and father stroked his arm in a futile effort to keep him roused.

By this time most everyone in the front of the church had caught on that yes, Andrew, the little actor, was really falling fast asleep right up there on the stage, and there wasn't a thing his poor father/drama director could do about it. How do you keep a nodding three year old awake? There were titters throughout the audience and finally even dad broke character and couldn't help suppressing a chuckle about his sleeping little shepherd boy. We imagined that yes, if there were any little shepherd boys really out helping their dads watch the sheep on that big big night, that they very well might have nodded off on Dad's shoulder about the time that the angels were singing their "Glory to God in the highest."

It was the highlight of the whole Christmas Eve service. Somehow it is always the unplanned, unscripted moments that bring serendipity to Christmas programs and activities. Maybe it is how God breaks through to us when we have a set idea of how we should live our lives.

I'm sure Mary, the mother of the baby Jesus whose birth we dramatize and celebrate during this season, was not thrilled with her unplanned pregnancy. She must have been mortified not only because of her unwed status in that day but because of the fact that she could be actually stoned to death. She was not expecting to meet an angel or heavenly visitor telling her that she was going to have a baby-the long-expected Messiah of her faith tradition. But, after a few awkward moments, she responded, "I am the Lord's servant. Let it happen as you have said."

And Joseph was equally caught by having the script change for his life. He was just a plain carpenter. Joseph did not shrink from his assignment, either. His fiancé, pregnant. What would people think of him, no matter what were his protests? What would people think of Mary? After receiving a heavenly visit, too, he reversed his decision to not marry Mary, and went ahead with the wedding. To his everlasting credit.

As parents and as persons, there are many times we have to pick up when things don't turn out like we've planned, and ad lib. There are times when God uses unusual circumstances to break through and give us a new script: go here, try this, be this kind of person. May you have a serendipitous moment this season that becomes the highlight of your Christmas. Maybe you'll even receive new insight for your life, or experience a turning point. The creative God of unplanned, unscripted moments is like that. A joyous Christmas to you.

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Contributed by Melodie Davis from her weekly columnANOTHER WAY (http://www.thirdway.com/aw/).For information on using Another Way in a local newspaper, contact:ANOTHER WAY, 1251 Virginia Ave., Harrisonburg, VA 22801-2497; or call1-800-999-3534; fax at 540-434-5556; or email me at:Melodie@mennomedia.org