Little Drummer Boy

I'm sitting here holding Audrey watching "It's A Wonderful Life."  It's been a good day.  Christmas has come to us quite nicely this year.  Snow is outside, our decorations went up day after Thanksgiving, and we are watching movies and having parties.  And of course the most magical thing about it all is that Audrey is here this year.  It was a little more than a year ago that we found out she was coming.  I had no idea then how much I would love having a baby in our home for Christmas, our very own baby.  I thought I knew how much I would love having her, but I really couldn't comprehend it.  I still can't.  It's too much love.  I can't possibly express it.
Last year the song O Little Town of Bethlehem became one of my favorites.  Just thinking about that humble little town that was the birth place of the single most important person in all of history- it really brought the Christmas spirit to me last year.  This year the song that's hitting my heart is The Little Drummer Boy.  Even though it is a fictional story it is a profound one.
It's one of the songs I've been singing to Audrey as she falls asleep.  She's so little and may seem like she doesn't have much to give.  But I think as all parents understand, she has given me purpose and absolute joy in life.  Her every smile is amazing and beautiful.  With that double chin and drool on her lips.  Her cuddles are comforting and warm.  Her face lighting up when Daddy gets home is indescribable.  If she is happy we can't help but be happy too.  Yes, Audrey has much to give.

So with the little drummer boy.  As I hear or sing the words a visual comes to me of a little boy, humble as can be, having very very little but wanting to give something to this baby who will become his Savior.  I would imagine that he could've felt very self conscious- about his appearance compared to the wise men, about not having an expensive gift, and even about being a mere child among all the adults.  I know I've felt that way many times- felt like I was not enough.  But then he offers what he does have.  "Shall I play for you?  On my drum?"  

And his gift is more than accepted by the Baby Jesus.  He doesn't respond with, "Is that all you have?" He responds with love.  That little drum solo is something special and important to him.

"I played my drum for him.

I played my best for him.

Then he smiled at me.  Me and my drum."

What I have to give to the Savior feels so insignificant sometimes.  My little drum solo is not much.  But still, he accepts it and lets me know that he loves me.  This story reminds me of a lot of things. In the place of the wise men it reminds me to not look down on someone because of how they appear.  They invited the drummer boy to come see the king with them in the first place.  Everyone is a child of God.  In Baby Jesus's place as the receiver of the gift it reminds me to always be gracious, grateful, and loving, seeing everyone's true worth.  In the place of the drummer boy it reminds me to always give the absolute best that I have.  Like the story of the widow's mite.  I want to hold nothing back from my Savior because I know that he holds nothing back from me.  He came to earth to give everything to me.

It may seem like the Little Drummer Boy didn't have much to give.  But really he did.  He gave the best he had.  Even though it was only a little drum solo, I know Jesus loved and cherished it as much as he loved and cherished the wise men's gold, frankinscense and murr.

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum

A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum

Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum 

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum

So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,

When we come. 

Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum 

I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum 

I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum 

That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum, 

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 

Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum, 

On my drum? 

Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum 

The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum 

I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum 

I played my best for Him,

pa rum pum pum pum, 

rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, 

Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum 

Me and my drum


This is my favorite version of the song:

Jesus Christ lives and he loves us.  He accepts and cherishes what we have to give.
I love my baby Audrey.  She gives me so much.