(This blog is the sixth in the series about “Countdowns” as I count down to Amanda’s moving out and count down to the Celebration Concert.)

There are eight days until we get the key to Amanda’s apartment.  I should be packing her stuff but I don’t feel like it.  It’s one of those things you have to be in the mood for – like cleaning the basement.  Oh.  Yeah.  The basement needs cleaning, too.  I haven’t felt in the mood to do that lately, either!  I mentioned cleaning the basement to Ted the other day and he said he thought we could save that for a winter weekend project.  (WE?  I didn’t make the mess in the basement and I never get in the mood to clean it either.  Ok.  Ok.  I better save this for another blog!)

Instead of packing any of Amanda’s stuff, I decided she and I should go visit the Target store.  While shopping with her, the usual happened:  While I am busy looking at something, I hear people talking to Amanda and the words, “Hey I know you” come my way.  Inwardly, I groaned, because this happens all the time.  Someone, no matter where we are, recognizes Amanda.  I am no one – just Amanda’s mom.  People know her from Trenton Schools, or Jo Brighton School, or from who-knows-where.  I walked over to where Amanda and two women were standing and the older woman says, “We just started going to your church and we remember seeing her (pointing to Amanda) last Sunday.”  “Ohhh … “ I exclaim.

It ended up being quite a lovely conversation as I queried our two new friends as to who they were and how they ended up at our church, St. Paul.  They were a mother and grown daughter and they had recently moved nearby, in fact right into the apartments down the way on West Rd.  Right into the same apartment complex that Amanda was moving into!  Coincidence?  And at least this was one time where I was glad that Amanda was so memorable and recognizable.  I learned these women’s names and tried to make friends with them – and told them I’d be looking for them at church!   It also helped for Amanda to meet some people who were going to be her neighbors.

Counting down eleven days to the Celebration concert, we have a ‘first’ with this performance.  Although Celebration has sung several concerts before, this is the first one that includes Christmas music.  The concert begins with praise songs and then segues into Christmas tunes.  Our sixth song is sort of the transitional song called:  “Son of God” with the infamous Michael W. Smith behind part of the words and music.  With a poetic text and soaring melody, the lyrics include:

“Son of God, love divine, timeless One steps into time.
Who could dream of such a thing?  With us now, the King of Kings.
Men and Angels bow and sing, singing Alleluia, alleluia.”

The song suggests how the angels sang as God’s son made his debut in a manger.  But I wonder how many others looked at that baby and said, “Hey I know you.”  As heaven’s perfect plan unfolds and the long-awaited Messiah finally appears – why no one expected Him to be a little baby in a manger in the little town of Bethlehem.  The Angels knew.  The lowly shepherds figured it out.

It’s lovely to run into old friends.  It’s lovely to make new friends.

It kind of feels good to hear, “Hey I know you.”

And finally, something to think about:  Does God look at you and say, “Hey I know you!”

just Laurel