We went to our church's annual Carols & Cocoa event this past Sunday night. Our church is a small community, and it feels just like a huge family get together. It's like a talent show where everyone takes turns getting up and singing, or showing off some little known skill, or dusting off their old high school band instrument and cracking out jingle bells. This year we got up as a family to sing Little Drummer Boy. Violet held a maraca, Ryan played the ukulele, and Nola breathed into the microphone like Darth Vader. She was enamored with the sound it made. We gave her a few tries to actually sing, but eventually kept singing without her. At the end she finally let out a rum pum pum pum and a final on my drummmmm. I sang a song by the band Downhere called "How Many Kings" with my friend Liz. Ryan did a short stand up comedy routine and it was really funny! Do I sound surprised? I wasn't surprised. Ryan is hilarious. It's just that being a funny person is one thing, but really pulling off a stand up routine is another. He did awesome. I was quite impressed.
Lots of traveling in our future. Lots of partying. Lots of eating. Lots of presents. Lots of...lots.
Sigh.
Picture me now running to grab Nola's storybook Bible, and frantically searching for Baby Jesus in a manger so she understands WHY we have this holiday. I feel like I'm failing her in that area. BUT Christmas day is not here. I still have time. It hit me in church on Sunday that to explain how awesome it is that Jesus came, I have to start by explaining how badly we needed Him. It's not very much fun to talk to your kids about sin and separation from God.
But if she never sees the darkness, she'll never see how truly beautiful the Light.
P.S. This mom has a really great Christmas tradition for teaching her kids about the Light.
P.P.S. Are those two little girls in the picture up top not THE most beautiful girls you've ever seen?! They kill me with their beauty.
I love this post, and I love the one you linked to also. I wish I could have heard All those things. And yes, they're the most beautiful girls.
ReplyDeleteThey kill me, too. Gorgeousness.Which is no surprise, of course. I hope we can hear some Little Drummer Boy while you guys are here.
ReplyDeleteThose girls are totally beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis was great, Charity! I have been missing the "how badly we needed Him" part. I love the link, also. Somehow, with Titus, I see a big bonfire on my table, so I just might skip the 25 candles until they are slightly older!
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