This week before Christmas is always a stressful time for our littlest ones at St. John's as we prepare for our Christmas service. We are on an every other year cycle. The Preschool through grade two present their service on the Sunday before Christmas this year and for that I am thankful while the 3rd through 8th grade present their service on Christmas Eve this year. Next year our little ones will be back on Christmas Eve. The 6:00 service is not the prime time for young children to perform so I much prefer the 10:30 morning service. Even with the better time slot this year, the practices leading up to the big program are stressful. Each morning this week we go over to church and go through the entire program stopping along the way to try and perfect the songs and recitations. I must say the Kindergarteners, 1st, and 2nd graders do a near perfect job while the Preschoolers sort of muddle along forgetting to turn around and look at the people, forgetting to sing or say their parts leaving me and the other teacher doing a duet. They pick their noses, make faces, and pull dresses up over their heads, but yet, when push comes to shove they are the ones that the people come to see because their antics are just so cute and their sweet little hearts are filled with so much love for their Savior. When they do remember to sing, the praises are coming straight from their hearts and their joy and innocence just shines through. Like the shepherds my little ones will be spreading the wonderful message of Christmas at our service. It will not be perfect, but it will be so pleasing to God! Now, Lord give me patience with them as we plod along at these practices.
Christmas eve services go way back with our family. I went to St. John's and was in eight Christmas eve programs, actually 16 since there were two each Christmas eve. The service was always magical with the wonderful songs and recitations. In between services we went back to our classrooms for a snack of 7 up and crackers, always 7 up and crackers! Oh the memories...
Both Courtney and Alissa were also in 18 services each (they also were there for Kindergarten, I was not) They have the same warm memories of those services and the 7 up and crackers, so does Mallory. We no longer do two services due to family dynamics and kids' attention spans these days. We have allowed them to get soft, but that is another entry. One of the hardest things for me to do was watch Courtney go off to her first Christmas Eve with Paul's family. I missed her so much that first year. I missed her in church at that very special service. It hasn't gotten any easier, but I have her, Paul, and Tizita here this year on the rotation so the service will seem complete. Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a Christmas Eve service to enjoy this year.
3 comments:
I wouldn't say I have WARM memories of the 7-up and crackers. I have warm memories of the services, music and goofing around between services, but not those stale crackers and flat 7up. This is what they fed kids and expected them NOT to throw up from it! See you in a week.
I am sure the Christmas service and program with the little ones will be wonderful! I just went to my friend Kimberly's church last Sunday to see her two boys in their Christmas program. There was one little sheppard girl that stole the show! What type of songs do they sing?
Kim, They sing Away in a manger and a simple wise man song to the tune of "the ants go marching one by one" They also do a fingerplay about Mary and Joseph and ring bells while singing Jingle, Jingle Happy bells, Jesus is born. Pretty simple stuff so they should do okay and I know they will be the stars of the show.
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