Ho, Ho, Holy

Every so often, God slips me a stocking stuffer. Stocking stuffers are those little gifts that he gives me just to let me know he still up there. He's still watching, still listening. He still hears my heart even when I'm ignoring it. He still loves me and knows me. Even when I'm not wondering. Or wandering.

Stocking stuffers are sometimes an earth-shattering sunset, sometimes an ordained "coincidence" that only I will catch, sometimes the punchline to one of our inside jokes, sometimes the answer to a prayer I forgot I prayed or a found object I forgot I lost, a nudge to call someone out of the blue that leads to ministry, the perfect Bible passage to fit my situation.

Tonight's stocking stuffer was a song. A random song. A B-side on the If You Say Go album by Vineyard Music. Not really a song I paid much attention to when the CD was in heavy rotation around these parts. It's called "Make Me Whole" by Rachel Milstead, easily one of my favorite voices in Christian music. The bridge (or channel B, or whatever it is), "you carry me when I can't walk," was repeating over and over in my head as I milled around the kitchen cooking my grilled-cheese-sandwich dinner. So, I popped the CD in after dinner and memorized it. Four words: Ri Dic U Lous. I was lost in worship by the second line. If you get a chance, check out the CD and the song. Here are the lyrics:

You're the shelter of my soul
Through every drought and storm
When life leaves me worn and cold
You shelter me and peace flows
You shelter me and peace flows

Breath of God spring new life
Spirit move through my bones
Holy Love embrace me
Stir my heart wake my soul
Bring new life and make me whole

You're the light in my dark
Through seasons all alone
When my strength wanes and fails me
You carry me when I can't walk
You carry me when I can't walk
Oh carry me when I can't walk

Breath of God spring new life
Spirit move through my bones
Holy Love embrace me
Stir my heart wake my soul
Bring new life and make me whole