What's The Big Deal?

Much to the dismay of many people, we waited. Waited for news that Kate, of Will and Kate of course, had gone into labor. With baited breath we watched Facebook and Twitter and Fox News for the royal birth announcement. Would it be a boy or a girl?

"It's a boy!" announced across the news wires. 

A future King, third in line for the throne, had been born! 

As if we hadn't waited long enough, now we would wait again. I'm kind of ashamed to admit that I waited four hours. Staring at a wooden door, flanked by bobbies. Four hours. Moving from in front of my computer screen, to carrying around my iPhone, lest I miss the world's first glimpse of the bundle.

It was worth every minute of the wait. Cute as can be, out came Will and Kate with the yet unnamed future king in their arms. The crowd cheered. I smiled big. I got tickled when Wills put the car seat in the back of the car, wiped his brow, and drove away.

Then the wait continued. What would they call this bundle? What would be his royal name? Charles like his granddad? Edward? James?

George Alexander Louis

The news came today. Not my first choice, but a good, solid, kingly name for sure.

So, what's the big deal? Why does any of this matter? Why are we so fascinated, mesmerized, and capable of losing ourselves in the drama of a royal family way across the pond?

I think it's because we're sad.

I think it's because we're angry.

I think it's because we're drowning in our own bad news.

I think it's because we can't turn on the TV or look at Facebook without being inundated with bad news.

We just want some good news.

We just need some hope that the world is not such an awful place.

We just need to know that while we fight and clamor and judge and argue, good things are happening.

We just need to know that we can smile again.

That every once in a while it's okay to laugh.

That every once in a while it's okay to be silly.

That every once in a while a baby is born and if that's not a symbol of hope, I don't know what is!

Hope for a future.

Hope for better than.

Hope for a different way.

Hope for more love and less hate. 

Hope for smiles instead of furrowed brows.

A time to laugh. A time to dance.

A time to embrace and mend.

A time for peace. 

God! How we want peace!

How we need peace.

Not in the sweet by and by, but HERE, in the land of the living.

Days where we live well. Laugh often. Love always.

Days where it's all right to be excited about a baby born to a real-life prince and princess.  

Days where we open our eyes and hear the birds, feel the breeze, smell the flowers.

Feel the very breath of God on our faces because He's that close.

But consumed with all our stuff, stuffed, smoldering, spewed, hurled, we don't see Him. 

We don't smell Him. We don't feel Him.

We don't hear Him say, "Unto us a child is born." 

The One True King.

The Royal Lord of All.

He will one day judge the quick and the dead. We need not.

That my friend is a very big deal.