And the award goes to ....

No we probably won't win any acting awards, but we just finished up maybe the best Christmas play practice ever. Here's the scene ... Mary and Joseph were sitting in the manger. The lights were dimmed. There was the sense of angels, Magi bearing gifts a quite calm drifts across the room. There is calm and solemness and peace.

Nope! Not even close. No one was exactly sure where to be or where to stand or when to start their lines. While the narrators did a marvelous job, they (no names mentioned) didn't read at exactly the right times. Lines weren't quite memorized. You know how play practice goes. But it always comes together in the end.

Near the end of tonight's practice while I was trying to keep Hazel occupied when I looked up and I saw two little boys on stage, one riding a plastic cow and one riding a plastic donkey! Two little girls lying just in front of the stage coloring and drawing. Two or three other kids over to the side jumping and wiggling around. I counted seven all making their parents stressed. I told Brother Terry, "this is the best play practice ever!" To incorrectly quote Charles Dickens, "These are the BEST of times and these are the BEST of times".

Jesus didn't create these little ones to be still and silent, he created them to be two year olds, and three year olds, and seven year olds, who wiggle and squirm and giggle and question things. Who wants a quiet, still church anyway?? I want to see smiles, and hear noise, and see cracker crumbs on the floor. And here's the thing, he didn't create the 70 year olds to be silent either. We all have a part to play (not in the Christmas play, in the spreading the gospel play).

So come join us next Sunday night at 5 and let's see how interesting this year's play will be!

... for such is the kingdom of Heaven