The Christmas Ache
It’s hard to say what truly was my favorite Christmas of all time, as there were many. I’m sure though it must have been one from my childhood. There is magic in a child’s heart that knows mystery and love in a pure fashion unencumbered by most world woes. Magic, lights, fantasy. Such is the mix of Christmas - at least it was in my middle-class suburban mind back in the 1960’s. My daddy was the pastor of a big Lutheran church where momma taught at the Lutheran school. She also wrote and directed the Christmas Eve program in those saintly days of yore. We managed to pull off five services any given year. Being of musical decent, I usually sang at all the services, or played the harp, or violin, or all of them – depending on the mood of my mother that year. Nothing like having your mom also be your manager. (Listen to link; “Someday” and “We Sense a Fountain” as you read – if you want...) MSL Lutheran’s did church big and with elaborate pageantry. My poor Presbyterian church has b