Emma has participated in two of her violin concerts already- one in the fall and then one in Christmas. I missed her Christmas concert due to a mandatory Christmas Cantata final rehearsal in SJ. Last Saturday, Emma played in her first solo recital, playing “O Come Little Children”.
This is Emma after she got her violin tuned, practicing a little before the solo recitals started.
I wanted to stay upstairs so I can get an aerial picture of her playing, but as the student before her was playing, I saw her look back to find me, making sure I was present to see her play her piece. I knew that if I went upstairs, she would be sad if she realized I was nowhere in the room, so I stayed downstairs for her. Surely enough, right before she played, she quickly gazed my way. Good choice. Phew.
As she played, I smiled. I know this is just the beginning of her relationship with the violin, but like a great wedding, your heart swells up with all the hopes you have for the couple. As she played, I already had visions of teenage Emma playing her violin at school concerts. I was so proud of her for being courageous throughout her piece.
After she played, with a smile still on her face, she came up to me and asked me if I was proud of her. I asked her what thoughts were going through her mind as she played. She replied, “My eyes started watering because I thought that someone was asking the little children to come because they were lost. It made me so sad to think the children were lost.” Perze and I explained that it’s a happy song, a Christmas hymn even. But now thinking about it, Emma is so right. Again, my daughter has opened my eyes to a fresh perspective. Maybe the song really is asking us to come. The birth of our Savior was an announcement for the lost to come, for after all, it says “For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost” (Luke 19:10). We all should feel as Emma’s heart does for the children, hoping they come to be saved. That is the story of Christmas.
Oh Emma. Your childlike faith. There’s a reason why she was so adamant in choosing that song for her recital piece. Thank you Lord for speaking through her.
