Hope Springs Eternal

The two venues could not have been more different. The circumstances that brought me to each were completely opposite of each other. The occasions were a mere hour apart. Just 60 minutes.

This past Tuesday night, I sat in the second row in the auditorium of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia. The room was carefully decorated for Christmas. The lighting and the images on the three large screens created the feeling of being in a holiday, winter wonderland. I was among hundreds of parents, grandparents, siblings and friends who had gathered to participate in the annual Lakeview Academy Candlelight Service. It is a beautiful thing.

On this night, the children sing. Every student - from pre-K through 5th grade. Each student takes the stage with his or her class and performs a carefully rehearsed song for the season. Their outfits have been carefully assembled as well. Each child is decked out in their Christmas finest. There are lots of reds and greens and plaids and bows and ties. The evening culminates with the lighting of candles and the singing of Silent Night led by the Seniors of the Academy. It is beautiful and meaningful and warming.

I don't know why she, in particular, caught my eye...but she did. All of the children are cute and fun to watch. I suppose she was just representative of them all to me. If I had to guess, I'd say she was Korean. A second grader. Thin and petite. Her dress was a Christmas plaid...carefully chosen and fitted. Her hair was pulled back behind her head and gave residence to a big, red bow. Her legs were fitted with tights which featured Santa Claus. Her eyes were bright and smiling as she sang along with her classmates...just like they had practiced.

Her mother was beaming. Mom's heart was overflowing with love for her little girl. You could see it on her face. She loves her child in a way that no one else can. She may have thought of her on the day she was born. She remembers special moments shared during days gone by. She remembers the joy the child has brought into her life. More than anything, she fosters enormous hopes for her future. Mom sees her through the lens of what her little girl can grow to become. She is connected to her child in a special way...a way that never changes. Hope springs eternal. It was heart warming to watch.

One hour earlier, it was a very different scene. There was nothing festive or celebratory about Courtroom No. 2 in the Forsyth County Courthouse. There was no music. There were no beautiful images being projected onto a screen. In fact, the only screen in the room was for showing taped footage from security cameras. Parents, grandparents, friends and siblings were seated in the gallery for a very different reason.

He didn't take his place in the room as part of a carefully choreographed production. He was escorted by a uniformed deputy who had brought him from the jail across the street. His was not carefully chosen Christmas finery...it was simply the next orange jumpsuit on the stack. There were no Santa Clauses...only a number. He didn't raise his hands in joyful song. His hands were cuffed behind his back. I sat behind and slightly to the right of his mother. She is a friend of mine. I love her. She inspires me. I watched her.

Though a bit strained with tension and anticipation...His mother was beaming. Mom's heart was overflowing with love for her little boy. You could see it on her face. She loves her child in a way that no one else can. She may have thought of him on the day he was born. She remembers special moments shared during days gone by. She remembers the joy the child has brought into her life. More than anything, she fosters enormous hopes for his future. Mom sees him through the lens of what her little boy can grow to become. She is connected to her child in a special way...a way that never changes. Hope springs eternal. It was heart warming to watch.

Sixty minutes apart. Totally different...and yet exactly the same.

God, the Father, looks at us and He beams. His heart is overflowing with love for His children. You can see it in His nature...in His actions...in His sacrifice. He loves us, His children, in a way that no one else can. He remembers the day we were born. He remembers special moments shared during days gone by. He considers us His joy. More than anything, He fosters an enormous hope for our future. He sees us through the lens of what we can grow to become. He is connected to us in a special way...a way that never changes.

No matter who we are.

No matter where we are.

No matter what we have done.

No matter what we may do in the future.

Hope springs eternal.

Let your hearts be warmed everybody...God's peace to you all.