We went to church today (and the building did not cave in nor did lightning strike). Actually, we went to two churches today, but I will post about the second church tomorrow. That was our old church.
Today, we went to Sam & Arwen’s church, Hope Community Church in Lake Oswego. Today was Christmas Pageant Day and Javan, our middle grandson, had the starring role.
Such as it was.
First, there was a choir production by the Adult Sunday School class (all six members). Then the Youth Ministry performed an original Rap-style Christmas song (our son-in-law played the drums and helped compose). (Standing ovation from part of the congregation). The other part was not sure what the lyrics were. (No, really: it was a beautiful song. The performers were a little nervous. Except Sam. He loves it.)
Last, the children performed.
The children should have performed first because they were getting really tired of the whole Christmas Pageant thing and they’d just performed this same thing at the tail-end of the early service. But that’s wisdom in hindsight.
Zephan was a sheep. They had these cute little knit hats with grey ears and little black eyes & noses. But the real costume was the T-Shirt with the obvious wording printed on them: SHEEP. They all had little bells and Zephan posed for me with the bell, but he was not having anything to do with the bell after that. We actually gave the bell to Javan.
I had a front row seat to the action until the kids went up to perform. then all these proud parents ran forward with their digital cameras and blocked me. That’s OK, because Zephan was not really up front for most of the program. He played with the microphone through the first song.
By the end of the first song, he was beginning to wander. In moments, he was behind the angels and into the drum set. Another sheep wandered off behind the Christmas tree.
One little sheep stayed right where he was planted.
Oh! Did you notice the baby in the manger there? The one staring at the Virgin Mary while the poor Joseph looks down in awe? That baby flinging his arms about?
See the calm look of that Baby Jesus now?
That is moments before he decided to arch his back and attempt to fling himself out of the “manger” much to the Virgin Mary’s horror.
His real mom had to step up onto the stage and abduct him before he did something really embarrassing, like act like a baby.
Way to go, Javan.
Yeah. My grandsons. The wandering sheep and the protesting Baby Jesus.
It was hysterical.
I don’t know about you, but I think you have to appreciate the mixed-race parentage of Baby Jesus here. Virgin Mary had her eyes closed in silent worship. Joseph looks shell-shocked. Baby Jesus has Zephan the Sheep’s bell in his hand. And he’s looking up at “His” mother in stunned awe.
“Hey. Mom. I’m about to flip out of this car seat made up to look like a manger, OK? So don’t look. Good moms DO NOT LOOK. You’re a good mom. Love you. Jesus.”
Jaci Dawn 