Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

O little town of Bethlehem

How still we see the lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

When I hear this song, I picture a clear winter night...stars shining while the town sleeps...quiet and peaceful. And Hope.

When I was young, my hopes where centered in the here and now. I remember one Christmas desperately hoping for snow. Today, I'm watching blizzard conditions outside my window and I know the weather is what it is. I spent years telling my parents the only thing I wanted for Christmas was a piano, hoping they'd finally give up and get me one. I know now that was financially beyond their means.

When my girls were young, I hoped they would just be healthy. We had the usual illnesses and orthodontics and even an occasional broken bone. But when we had the all-nighters at the hospital because of asthma, or the mental health issues, I desperately hoped they would outgrow it. Then I watched a family deal with the death of their only child due to a tumor. I realize now it's all a matter of perspective.

I hope to make a difference in this world and have talked about it with a friend of mine. We both have a lot of volunteering in our background, and we both know we make a difference in our jobs. But we've talked about what kind of difference we want to be making. I've moved beyond what I want for myself, and have been giving a lot of thought to the idea of hope -- people who feel they don't have hope -- and what might make a difference for them. I don't know where it will lead me, but it's a journey I'm embarking on and we'll see where it leads.

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.