It's a Parade... A Christmas Parade!

Today by happy accident we came upon my hometown's Christmas Parade while we were out running an errand. We decided to stop and let Halen, my four year old daughter watch her first parade. A small town parade is somehow sweeter than their Macy's counterpart but I guess I had forgotten that. As we were standing waiting for the show to begin we could hear the approaching marching band. I was taken back 20 or more years to when I was in that school band and was walking this same stretch of road. Albeit, back then it was not five lanes! Joy To The World takes on a whole new feeling when you add a full drum line. The county sheriff's department was well represented on their motorcycles with blue lights flashing. Every fire department within 25 miles must have washed and polished their firetrucks this morning and they made for an impressive convoy. A local church built a "Happy Birthday Jesus" float complete with a 12 foot, three tier cake! Candy canes, Merry Christmas calls, and Santa Claus... all wrapped in crate paper. It was perfect.

I love watching my daughter see and experience new things. The wide eyed wonder little kids seem to bring their jaded parents is priceless. But today, I was the wide eyed one. Halen only wanted the candy. She was watching for the next boyscout making rounds with Tootsie Rolls and Ring Pops. I was struck by how much hope there was evident today. It felt good to be out with people just celebrating the season. Celebrating each others children. From the little ones on the sides of the street to the older ones marching in time to a slightly off key carol. I needed the reminder of good things. Happy things. In a world that feels dangerous and dark, where I ponder our future God is still in the business of being God. He is good. And in the places where uncertainty and crime and godlessness seems to be the flavor of the day, God shows up in a small town. In a parade of all things!