Pixie Dust

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Pixie Dust

I talked to my daughter yesterday on the cell while driving down I-95, using my knees to steer. That’s because I had a cell phone in one hand and a milkshake in the other. One day I’m going to write Lexus and suggest that they equip steering wheels with knee cups to accommodate this method of driving.

I surprised her by saying I’d just sold some land that I’d purchased for her and her brother. This is my Christmas present to y’all, I told her. She endures my calls sometimes. They often intrude into her artistic creations. But she’s always effusive in appreciation of the advent of unexpected gifts. In the typical voice of an artist, she said, “Well, dad, it sounds like the ‘pixie dust’ is falling all over you today.”

Pixie dust? I’d not heard that term since our children were exposed to Tinkerbelle in the Disney Peter Pan series. That was what, maybe 30-plus years ago? But after I ended the call I thought about it. Pixie dust, if you recall, is some sort of magic dust that’s shaken from a pixie or fairy, enabling humans to fly. And, of course, that’s exactly what I was doing on I-95. This magic dust is supposed to bring great success, love and luck. Which it was obviously doing for me and dusting my children as well.

In a few days, if not already, the Christmas pixie dust will be falling on all of us. Presents are piling up underneath Christmas trees and children are arriving. Moods are joyful. Cookies bake, Christmas carols sing from speakers. Everyone laughs and eats a lot. Is pixie dust falling already? I think so.

The magic of Christmas is God’s love. This love is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit, this Holy Pixie Dust if you will, is given by our Savior, who always surprises us, coming each year as a child to spread It around.

Adults are becoming children again, which may be a good thing. Perhaps this is the only way Christmas can be understood. For God loved humanity so much that He intruded into its busy affairs by sending a child as a reminder of His love. And it’s the Christ child who sheds the real pixie dust of Christmas.

May the Prince of Peace spread His love and His Spiritual pixie dust on you, your family and friends in this holy season. And may His Spirit be shed abroad by our acts of kindness with great love to a hurting and needy world. Merry Christmas.

Bud Hearn
December 22, 2010