Make Space For Wonder

At this time of year, angels are EVERYWHERE! We hear Michael Buble singing about them in the malls, or maybe hear choirs singing “In Excelsis Deo” in church musicals. In some homes, they make their annual appearance hovering over manger scenes on mantles and are often perched precariously on tops of Christmas trees. Little children dressed in white sheets are seen clutching at their halos, trying to keep them on straight during the Christmas pageant. So today, I’d like to share a story I included in my book, Uncluttered: Make Space for What Matters.

In 1993, I got my dream job as a program coordinator, working at the Salvation Army. The club of about 300 members was called the “Golden Agers”. Seniors would come Monday-Friday to participate in a myriad of activities from carpet bowling to quilting. Every Friday, after the fish and chip lunch, we gathered in the gym for an hour long program. The Friday before my first Christmas program, the director said that whatever I planned, it was to conclude by having Kate Powell sing “O Holy Night”.

It was the club’s annual tradition.

Kate was ancient. Her long white hair was braided and wound around her head like a crown. Her face was deeply wrinkled and her blue eyes crinkled merrily whenever she smiled..which was often.

I handed Kate the mic and as our pianist, Ev Rayment, gave the intro, I braced myself, expecting to hear a croaky 90 yr. old voice. But Kate sang beautifully, her voice rising and falling as she called us to “fall on your knees...oh hear the angel voices!….”

When she finished, several seconds passed before the applause erupted. It was the highlight of our program.

The following Christmas, Kate was no longer with us.

As Salvationists say, she was “promoted to glory”. And so this year’s Christmas program would not include Kate.

But the strangest thing happened.

Ten minutes before the program was to start, a tall brunette, dressed in a full length, mink coat, approached me and asked if she could sing a number. I was stunned, never having laid eyes on here before, but said, “Sure”, which also surprised me, as I like to be in control of the programs and who gets the mic.

After the choir program had finished, she walked confidently to the front, took the mic from the stand and without any introduction or piano accompaniment, began to sing…

You guessed it.

O Holy Night

Who was she? My colleague, Sylvia, thought I knew her. I thought Sylvia knew her. By the time I pressed through the crowd to thank our mystery guest, she was gone. I ran out the front door, looking up and down the street, but she’d simply disappeared.

If I had to guess, I think Kate knew we were going to miss her. I think she asked an angel to make an appearance on her behalf. I think…

Well, I don’t really know what to think!