...Then HE smiled at ME!

I LOVE Christmas music. I mean LOVE. I sometimes get into a mood and listen to it during the Summer. There's something about the joy, the happiness, and in many cases the worship involved in Christmas music that moves me any time of the year. That being said, I never fully appreciated The Little Drummer Boy, which is funny since I am a Drummer and a singer, until this year.

I don't know why that is. I guess musically it's always been kind of in the middle... none of the reverent solemnity of a Silent Night or O Holy Night... none of the joy and happiness of a Joy to the World or playfulness of a Jingle Bells... or the Romanticism of an I'll be Home for Christmas or Blue Christmas or the irreverent zaniness of an I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas or Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer. It was just... there.

Then we did a variety show at our church. The band was doing an instrumental version of The Little Drummer Boy, and I was playing drums. During rehearsal at one point, I started singing the pieces of the lyrics that I knew, and the band director asked me if I could sing the song as I drummed. He thought it would sound "cool" and be dramatic that the DRUMMER was singing the DRUMMER BOY.

I then went and learned the words to the song. I was so surprised at the fact that I never realized what a journey the song was, and how it can be symbolic of all of our journeys.

In a nutshell, it is the story of a poor boy, who is invited to go see the newborn King and told that everyone is bringing their finest gifts. He says that he is a poor boy who has no gift fit to give a king and asks Mary if he can play for Him on his drum. Mary agrees, and the boy plays his very best. As a result, the baby Jesus smiles at him and his drum.

How often in life, have I looked at who I am, at all of my faults, and limitations, and failures, and felt unworthy of His love, mercy, grace and favor. How often have I said "no" to doing things because I'm not good enough, or I've been told by those around me that those are not my strengths, or fear of failing, or a zillion other reasons or excuses that I can put up.

Who am I that the King would come, that, as my Pastor quoted, that the infinite would become an infant... for ME? ME!?!?! REALLY!?!?!

But the truth is that He never asks me for anything that I can't give. He never asked me to be anything other than who I am and to love Him and do MY very best. Not to compare my gifts to anyone else's, or my success rate or my talents, but just to be and do MY best.

Oprah Winfrey was recently quoted as saying that her prayer to God daily was "use me until you use me up." Say what you want about her and feel however you do ( I am admittedly not a fan of many of the things she has said and believes) how amazing a prayer is that? It is something that I have added to my daily devotions. "Lord, please use me until you use me up."

Take everything that I am and everything that I have and use it for whatever purpose or design that you have for me... for I have been blessed to be a blessing. The scripture says "To whom much is given, much is required." What do you require of me?

There is an OLD gospel song that says "I'm yours Lord, everything I have, everything I am, everything I'm not. I'm yours Lord, try me now and see, see if I can be completely yours."

What always gets me is "everything I'm not." I will bring what I have and not condemn or belittle myself for what I do not have to give.

If we can realize that; if we can see that he does not require gold or frankincense or myrrh from those who do not have it, but simply that we play for Him and play OUR best for Him... then HE will smile at us and our gift.

HE will SMILE at ME!!! HE will SMILE at YOU!!! What a gift to be smiled at by the King, for in His smile we find favor and peace and grace and mercy... EVERY GOOD AND PERFECT GIFT!

What do YOU have to bring to the King?