Christmas Program

I'm working on our church Christmas program this year. I've been excited about it since last year's Christmas. I came up with the concept by listening to Todd Agnew's Christmas CD, "Do you see what I see?"

It lays out the entire story of Jesus' birth in song. I love it. We're using one of his songs, "God with Us" in the program. My extremely talented friend, Joan arranged it to be acappella and it is gorgeous! She also arranged a Stephen Curtis Chapman song for the program. Not only does it have the typical soprano, alto, tenor, bass parts, she has the kids singing with us and a small group singing in it too. She is so good! It's going to be our grande finale song! I can't wait for everyone else to hear them!

The program is going to be so awesome. We start out with the kids on stage (in their p.j's) decorating the tree, cutting out snowflakes, wrapping presents, etc. They start talking about what their favorite part of Christmas is. "This is what Christmas is all about- getting and giving presents!" Ms. Odra is going to come in and sit in a big chair and open a "book" (aka- the Bible)and tell the kids what Christmas is REALLY about. So she starts to tell the story, when pregnant Mary and Joseph come walking down the isle while the adults choir sings "O Little Town of Bethlehem". We have some kids that are just actors in the manger scene. I wanted to involve the kids who can't sing, or don't like to.

I won't type out the entire program here, but did I say it's going to be great? We will go between Ms. Odra, a narrator, and the stable (while songs are being sung). I am very excited about it, but a little nervous too. I feel like Joan, Odra and I have worked really hard on this and I want it to be great and everyone to love it as much as we do.

But, I've all ready heard complaints. We haven't even had the program yet and people are complaining. Why is it such human nature to find something wrong and point it out to everyone you run in to? Why do people feel like they have the right to complain about something, when they had nothing to do with it in the first place? Now, I know I'm not completely innocent of this, but that's why I want to get more involved with things. If you're not happy about it, don't whine and complain, do something about it! Get involved!

Now I know that there are just a few complaints out there. Most people haven't said a word (or at least they are reserving their judgement until AFTER the program) So I'm honestly not letting it bother me. I can't. I have too many things to do between now and the 16th.

So if you are worried about the program (or about me! ;), please feel free to help us. There is no way I can do this on my own. I thank everyone who has all ready volunteered to help by being on stage in your pj's with the kids, crowd controlling, singing, bringing snacks, setting up the stage, getting costumes ready, and the list goes on.

Even if there are a few little imperfections in the program, no one is perfect, right? Except Jesus Christ, who this program is really about. Not the kids, not the singers, not me, Joan, or Odra. But Jesus. That's where our focus needs to be during the program. The Real story of Christmas is NOT about presents, or snow, or food, or decorating the tree. It's about God who came to earth to be with us. He came as an innocent baby. He was born in a barn. Imagine how His mother, Mary felt. She knew who He was, but did she know the impact this little baby would have on the entire world thousands of years after His birth? This is amazing to me. He loved us that much. He came knowing He would die on a cross for us, rise from the dead and return to earth someday. Not as a baby, but as our Lord from Heaven who has come for us. Now that is an amazing story that I want to tell over and over again. Even if someone does complain in "how" it's told.