I had a real moment this evening when I realized what I think is the true meaning behind the Christmas song "The Little Drummer Boy."

Okay, so picture yourself: living in some antique land. You're a poor boy, just some orphan raised by whatever counted as the religion/state in that region in those times. 

You were taught to play drums for wide ranging varieties of ceremonies. (You didn't have a lot of other options, to be totally honest.) 

Three magi travelling through your area speak with your master and you find yourself drafted into their campaign.  You can’t bring anything but the clothes on your back and your drum. Which is fine because you don't own anything, really. 

You see the amazing star these magi can't stop talking about (it is pretty spectacular) and you all follow it and it leads you straight to a stable where a young mother is holding her newborn.

A comforting, warm silence falls over the night.  You feel surrounded by a pure love that forms the very air in this special place on this special night. 

You are summoned by the magi and told to play.

You see the child and understand that you are looking in the infant face of majesty and suddenly you want nothing in this world more than to be able to present something, ANYTHING of value to this being.

You have nothing to offer but your drumming.  You’re afraid it’s not good enough, but you give it your best. 

That’s like us. 

We long for the approval and the embrace of our Creator, but we’re so afraid we’re not good enough. 

Life feels like a disaster, sometimes.  It seems like everything is so overwhelmingly out of our control.  We have good plans, good intentions, but there are always complications and we thought we’d be so much further in life by now. 

What do we have to show for ourselfs?

Well, we don’t have to bring the answers. Just like we don’t have to bring Frankincense.

Our gift is our Song, it’s our Life, it’s our Heartbeat. 

Keep drumming, friend.  Keep on living with Love and Sincerity, and I will try to do the same.