Joy and Delight

Today was the second Sunday of advent, so I wish you peace.

This morning in Sunday school as Sandy and I were starting the lesson, (you do know I teach Sunday school right? In the nursery where the usual lessons are #1 Jesus loves you, #2 do not pee on Mister Judson), Sandy says today’s lesson is about Zechariah. I was a little foggy on Zechariah, I mean just a few weeks ago we had Balam’s talking donkey so you never know.  I asked if Zechariah was the old dude who waited at the temple like forever for Jesus to be born.  But no, it turns out Zechariah was the father of John the Baptist and the husband of Elizabeth.

So the story is about how Zechariah was an old guy, a really old guy, well past his prime, and an angel shows up and tells him he is going to be a father.  Actually what he says was ““Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth”

Have you ever wondered why the angels always show up and say “Do Not Be Afraid?” I mean maybe the angels could try a little less sneaking up and surprising people? Or maybe the word got around after the angel wrestled that one dude all night and busted his hip.  So no wonder people were scared, they thought the John Cena of the angelic host might show up and bust their hip.  But, I digress.

Here is the part I like, the angel said “he will be a joy and a delight to you”.  This was John the Baptist they were talking about, a man who earned his fame for eating honey and crickets and wearing goat fur in the desert. (you know, other than the whole baptizing people and preparing the way for Jesus). Sounds delightful right? But again, that is not really the point.

The angel said Zechariah’s son would be a joy and a delight.  My boys gave me lots of joy and delight until they learned to talk.  It has been a struggle since then.  But sometimes, I get glimmers of joy and delight.  This week I mentioned on facebook that I found all my serving utensils for the Christmas party.  What I did not mention was that they were in the back of one of the silverware drawers all together.  When Matthew organized the kitchen drawers he put them there.  I asked if he did it so we would know where they were when it was party time, but he had another reason.  Paul does not like eating with real silver silverware, the doesn’t care for that metallic taste in his mouth, so Matthew basically sequestered all the silver silverware in the back of the drawer so no one grabs it by mistake.  He did this without prompting, or request, but just because he was thinking of his brother.

When I picked Paul up at midnight from work and brought him home tonight he was making plans for the Christmas party. Big plans. Secret plans that you will have to wait to find out.  In addition to that we were discussing that this week we need to buy him another pair of black pants for work since he is down to only one pair.  He announced that he was planning on using his own money for that, and that he figured he would buy Matthew a pair of pants too.  Again, not prompted or requested, but just because he was thinking of his brother.  That gives me great joy and delight.