This was our 13th Christmas Eve Candle light service at Central United Methodist Church. It is typically the grand finale to feeling the Christmas Spirit during the holiday season.

Our normal tradition is to go to Christmas Eve service at 4pm. We started going as a family and would sit in the balcony with my friend Lisa. Over the years our crowd has shrunk but the constant tradition is, it’s always been me, Tim & Lisa every year.

The first unexpected adjustment was our oldest daughter not being home for Christmas, she spent the holidays with her fiancé. I later figure out she was a key reason that we have left our house on time.

The second unexpected adjustment was Lisa not being able to meet us, her schedule had a last minute change and she had to miss.

This year our married son had to work but his wife and her sister joined us for the candle light service. We told her to meet us at 3:30pm.

I tend to have a terrible habit of misjudging the amount of time it takes to drive across town. For the most important day of the year, we left 10 min late! Lucky for me, Sarah Ann follows our instructions about leaving on time! I had called her along the way to explain how to snag the perfect seat, promising we are just minutes behind her.

Since Tim is the careful driver in the family, I decide that I needed to drive so I can try to make up time. I drove like a race car driver skidding into the church parking lot hot, on two wheels. I turn into the main parking lot and head towards back, to get to the auxiliary parking lot. I spot the VERY last parking spot. This spot is snug against a brick wall.

Just before I pull in my parking spot, I notice a rough looking homeless man, missing parts of his legs, in a electric powered wheelchair zipping around the parking lot.

After we pulled into our parking spot, I turn the car off, and reach the door handle to open my door, as I look out the window, I find myself staring eye to eye with this homeless man in a wheel chair. This was totally unexpected so I let out a blood curdling scream. He said “I just need to ask you something” and Tim had to kindly ask him to move along so I could get out of the car.

Looking back I wonder is this one of those “this may be Jesus” moments or just someone asking for a handout? I didn’t have the luxury of time to figure this out and needed him to move along, ASAP. I was focused on getting inside that church.

When the car was safe to exit, we bolted to the church. I am pretty shaken up from my scare and start laughing and crying at the same time. Sarah Ann calls and reports that BOTH balconies were full. At this point I move from a fast walk to a light jog to find her. When I find her, we approach an usher who said “you really need to get here at 3pm.” We were starting to feel like Mary & Joseph being told there is “no room in the Inn”.

Traditions are so important to feel the Christmas spirit. We were losing major ground with this one!

Y’all won’t believe this, we end up in the Chapel. Yes, the overflow room. We have never sat in the chapel before. This felt like punishment. It reminded me of a funny episode of “The Middle” where they ended up in the 4th overflow room for Christmas Eve service.

As the choir starts lining up for the service, one of my dear friends, peers in the open chapel door, and does a double take as he spots me in the overflow room. He then motions on his watch reminding me I should have gotten there at 3pm! Ugh!

On the bright side, we did get the front row of the chapel! An added bonus was a box of tissues because with laughing and crying at the same time, it’s helpful.

I watched the service on a blurry monitor where they projected from the balcony where we always sit. I was wishing it was high def and was so envious of the families that got there in time.

After we got settled in the Chapel, I was thankful to just be there enjoying the service. I missed having Lisa with me for our traditional crying to the live rendition of “Oh Come all ye faithful”. It sounded pretty OK through the speakers so I was able to feel some of the spirit from the music. The man behind me had a pretty decent voice but in this small chapel I have to hear my own and it’s not ideal.

A surprise for me was a solo performance by a women in the choir singing soprano. The notes she hit were so beautiful it made my eyes “leak”. This song along with the Messiah puts me in the Christmas spirit. Here is the recording:

The ushers do their best to make our little chapel work. They invited us to communion first. During Silent night we stood in our brightly lit room waiting to light our candles and wait for our lights to dim like the sanctuary. It felt like forever but eventually the usher got our room setup the same way. It was nice but this part just wasn’t the same experience as it would be in the big church.

Now that the service was over, we have time to reflect back. I was able to capture a little Christmas Spirit despite the obstacles. We were able to enjoy the service with my sweet daughter in law and her sister. We got to hear a solo of Christmas Tide/ Jesse’s Carol and we were heading home, we noticed some of God’s amazing sunsets.

My lesson this year is: Grab the spirit whenever you can, appreciate what is in front of you and be at the church by 3pm. This will leave you time to speak to the homeless man and not worry about losing “your seat” in the balcony.