Church Children's Concert

Tonight will probably go down among my favorite parenting moments. All the kids were in the show this year for the first and probably the last time. It was Mary's first year in the little kids' choir, and although it's technically a PreK-5 show, Nellie was asked to do a reading. They all did a great job, though it wasn't exactly DJ's idea of a great time. (We had fun reminiscing about the year he threw a fit, refusing to go on stage, and another when he stood up there but just soundlessly opened and closed his mouth the whole time like a fish.) I loved every minute of it.

So here's a Christmas challenge for us all...

May we gracefully accept each opportunity and responsibility that comes our way this season like Nellie;

may we share the good news of Christ's birth with sweet confidence like Annie;

may we carry on diligently when we face holiday trials of any kind like DJ--whether it's beating the crowds at Meijer, surviving a family get-together, or holding up the letter "S" even though people will be watching;

may we watch for and quietly meet the needs of others like Eddie;

and may we draw near to the Lord with even more adoration than Mary Cate has for her brother.