Tracie Peterson by Tidings of Peace Page B

ten-year-old Mary walked faithfully beside a rather disgruntled twelve-year-old Joseph.It appeared Joseph wasn’t all that excited about playing the role, but because the eldest Roland boy had gotten the measles, he had been forced to fill in.
    The shepherds, complete with paper beards, dish towel-covered heads, and strange pillowcase sheep, took over the next scene. They sang with childlike strength.
    “‘Silent night, holy night. All is calm. All is bright.’”
    They drew a breath between each phrase and shouted the words to make certain the world could hear their declaration.
    As they finished, Helen appeared on stage. She had been given a paper halo supported awkwardly with wire. It was a little bent on one side, but it nevertheless signified that this white-robed child was indeed an angelic being.
    “‘Fear not!’” Helen declared. “‘For, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.’”
    One of the shepherds began to fidget and tugged at his beard, while the youngest, no more than three years of age, began to wander around Helen as if in awe of her celestial appearance.
    The congregation chuckled softly as Helen continued to deliver her lines, eventually having to pick up the shepherd and hold him so that he could inspect her halo. By this time, several additional angels appeared. Some were dressed in white like Helen, but others had decorated paper streamers affixed to their street clothes. And everyone had a wire halo.
    While the angels sang, Mary and Joseph and a wooden manger were positioned on the side of the stage. The shepherd began to protest Helen’s grip, and so she put him down, only to see that he wasn’t going to be very cooperative. He continued to wander around even while the other shepherds were trying to deliver their lines. Rachel found it all pleasantly amusing, for she could remember a time when Helen herself had been the one stirring up trouble, snooping around while the play went on in her oblivion.
    Helen tried to herd the little shepherd toward the manger scene, where he was supposed to say his only line, but he wasn’t very interested at this point. More laughter erupted from the congregation, and this seemed to please the boy immensely. So much so, in fact, that he began to jump around and do a little dance. Probably the only time dancing had been allowed in Faith Church.
    Helen, in complete exasperation, took hold of the boy and pushed him toward the manger. “Go see Jesus,” she told him in a whisper, which seemed to echo throughout the church.
    The boy howled in protest, but eventually something near the manger caught his eye and he left his one-man-show aspirations behind and shouted, “I want to see Jesus!”
    Rachel laughed until tears were streaming down her cheeks. Even David was laughing, and this gave her hope that he could somehow find joy in his sadly tumultuous life. Maybe he would even come to the place where he would say those very words for himself. I want to see Jesus! How Rachel prayed that might be true.
    And then the play was over and the actors had taken their bows. The children were released to join their parents, and the entire congregation made its way downstairs for fellowship and refreshments.
    Rachel remained close to David, sensing his need for her protection, while her father and grandpa wandered off to talk with the other men of the church.
    A group of ladies crowded around and introduced themselves to David. Rachel knew he would have rather run from the room, but she looped her arm through his good one and suggested they make their way to the refreshment table.
    “You’ll enjoy this, I promise,” she said smiling.
    David let her lead and seemed to perk up a bit when he found Ruth behind the table helping to serve.
    “Oh, David, you have to try this,” Ruth declared, pouring him a glass of punch. “I made it myself. In fact, it’s my own recipe.”
    “She’s not a bit proud of the fact that everyone here