The "Myrrh is Mine"

It was an ordinary day. We were heading to the children’s Christmas Service at St James Episcopal. Every year, for who knows how many years, on Christmas eve, the children of the church present the Christmas Pageant. Joseph, Mary, Shepherds, Kings, Angels and even Baby Jesus are there. The stage has been set up so you can view the Nativity better. The excitement of the birth of Jesus is in the air. Behind the scenes, mothers and fathers are preparing the children for their roll in the Pageant by getting them dressed in their costumes. Sheep, pigs, donkeys, they're all there. Three adult male choir members play the three Kings. They are the only adults allowed in the Pageant. For many years Carol and I sat with our three children in a pew and watched the Pageant as a family. As each child got older they graduated into a role in the Pageant. Our daughter got to play Mary when she was a senior in high school. At first they used a doll, but now a real baby is recruited each year to play Baby Jesus. For years the three Kings were always Dr. James M. as Gaspard, Eddie S. as Melchior and my Father who played Balthazar. They get to strut down the center aisle with their pages who carry their gift to the Baby Jesus. The Kings don’t graduate, they just get older. Last year Eddie S. called it quits and my Father became Melchior. Tonight I will be Balthazar. Wow! The Kings wear very elaborate dress as they did in the time when Jesus was born. Remember, they were Kings!! Dr. Jim always wore a gold robe with fake jewels around the neck piece. He also wore a golden crown with colored gems hot glued on the points. Pretty neat! My Dad was dressed in a deep gold robe with a fur (I’m sure it was fake) cape. He had a matching fur hat with a jewel dangling down from it. It was massive. The only way he could keep it on his head was with a chin strap. Now that looked crappy! What king would wear a strap around their chin? Now I got to wear pink tights with shiny black pantaloons. On top I wore a red velvet puffy shirt with a blue wrap that came almost to the floor. I also wore a black velvet neck peice. On my head was a puffy black silk hat with huge peacock feathers dangling from it. My wife laughed at me as I walked down the aisle after seeing me in costume for the first time. I did get to carry a big fan with peacock feathers in it. This was a blessing because I had a hard time memorizing my verse so I stapled it on the back of the fan. Well, the Pageant went near perfect and then it was time for the three kings to enter. Everyone turned to see us with our elaborate costumes. The hymn started and Dr. Jim started down the aisle singing his verse about bringing Gold to crown Him again. Dad was next with his verse about offering Frankincense to Worship Him. My turn. I start down the aisle and........you think something is going to happen don’t you? Nah! I wowed ‘em. I didn’t even have to look at my fan for the words. I sang, “Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume, breathes a life of gathering gloom” .......and I’m bringing this to the Baby Jesus? Wow! Well, it seems like time has passed us by and the pageant is now only for children and students. But hey, I got my 10 minutes of fame!! It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - in photo, I'm on the left, Dr. Jim in center and Dad on right.