Keep it Real Wednesday
January 1, 2020
Favorite
Over the years our family has always looked forward to the Christmas Eve tradition at the church we attend. After a beautiful service, the lights are dimmed, and everyone is provided with a candle to usher in Christmas with a harmonious Silent Night. Once everyone’s candles are lit and before we start singing, each participant is asked to speak aloud one word we chose as a gift to God and our world for the upcoming year.
As we circled around the church person by person, words like love, joy, compassion, acceptance, peace, harmony, etc. were all spoken aloud. When it was Rosemary’s turn, she looked speechless, ill prepared and wasn’t sure why everyone was looking at her. Despite a gentle prodding from her grandson, and some not-so-quiet exchanges between them during the solemn ceremony, the words proceeded without Rosemary’s input. It was a little sad for all of us.
The next morning on Christmas Day, Rosemary asked why we didn’t say the words at Christmas Eve Service like we normally do? I explained that we did speak our words but since we knew she could not hear very well or see in the dark, we had to proceed without her.
Without missing a beat, she said, “Well, my word was favorite”.
“Favorite”, I asked? “Why favorite?”
She replied, “Well I know that when we all utter those nice words, we are, in that exact moment, God’s favorite. We are all His favorite”.
I asked her if she was embarrassed that she missed saying the word out loud in church and she said “Why? That was yesterday, today is today. The past in the past and I am still His favorite”.
So, there you go.
Favorite – Rosemary’s word for 2020
