Christmas Concert

Sunday was the children's Christmas concert at the church. I've been running them for many years; this should have been number 15, but we lost two to Covid, so it's only number 13. Every year I think that it was better than the year before, and this year is no exception.

One change was the sheer number of children! The younger choir had 20 children, ages 4-6, and the older one had 18 children, ages 7-9. And they sang their little hearts out! It was beautiful.

I think it helped that the director of the older choir took time to not only teach the words and music, but what the songs meant. They weren't just parroting words; they knew what the were singing.

A major change this year was the angel choir. Up to now, we've just had them showing up and saying the lines, but this year one of the ladies at the church taught them to sing the "Glory to God" part, and it was beautiful.

She also taught them Simeon's song, taken from Luke 2:29-32. We had one of the men play Simeon and the singing was beautiful.

And...I allowed an actual, live baby for Jesus! We kept a doll for "Mary and Joseph go to the manger" since it's a longer time on stage and the manger isn't really safe for a real baby. For Simeon's song, though, we used a baby -- he's around 2 months old -- so Mary wouldn't be handing a doll to the man playing Simeon. We all watched very carefully as Mary walked across the stage and handed the baby to Simeon, then watched carefully as she walked back with him after, and then let out a sigh of relief!

While there was probably very little chance my sweet Mary would drop the baby, he did look very big in her arms. Also, during the dress rehearsal, when she was supposed to put baby Jesus in the manger, she dropped him in (thankfully it was just a doll), leaving us all a bit concerned about how she would behave with a live baby!

The special music was really good. We had a choir with a string ensemble; a violinist; a soloist with piano and violins; a group of siblings on stringed instruments; and various piano players (at various levels). 

Then we ended with Go Tell It on the Mountain. The kids belted it out, especially the chorus.

After we were done our part, Pastor Adam did a gospel message. What I heard was good, but I was also helping keep the little guys somewhat settled. One at a time is easy; 20 at once is a handful!

It was really, really good, and I already have some ideas for next year!

Christmas Makes Me Cry

This Christmas, I am missing:

• a most beloved pastor and our little inside joke about the Christmas Concert
• friends with whom I once spent Christmas until things changed and we drifted apart
• the child who insisted on singing "beneath they deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by" instead of despite my attempts to correct "beneath" to "above"
• my grandparents (three of them; I never met the other one); one grandmother came every Christmas; the other grandparents lived further away so we saw them less often
• a small, enthusiastic shepherd who made a little bow to the congregation on his way out one concert

There is some achiness at Christmas, and more surrounding the concert because I have so many memories of past concerts and people who are no longer around (some just left the church; others are in heaven now).

But I am also thankful for:

• the family I spend Christmas with and who are really family to me now
• this year's Christmas concert with close to 90 enthusiastic children and our annual chance to remind (or teach) people about the birth of Christ and the gospel
• the child who is trying so hard to behave because he wants to be a shepherd
• the little guy who decided that he would be a Scripture reader this year and is faithfully practicing reading his part
• having a church family who love and support me

From Matthew West, a song that helps express my feelings:

From the Kids

In Sunday School we were talking about the Christmas story, and I was getting the kids to tell me the whole thing in order. We got up to Joseph planning to leave Mary.

Me: And why was Joseph upset?

Student: Because he thought she had married someone else.

Other students agreed that this was the problem and I didn't correct them. I am actually quite happy that this as much as they know just yet. Not all 10 and 11 year olds are so innocent.

Another bit of conversation that made me happy came from a 13 (or maybe 14) year old. I spend Christmas with friends every year; I generally sleep over for at least 2 nights. The young man's mom and I were talking about how we can't wait and it's very soon.

His addition to the conversation: Yes! And Anatole!

The "Anatole" in question is the hero of a series of picture books written by Eve Titus in the 1950s-70s. They follow the adventures of a brave mouse and his family who live in a small village just outside Paris. I brought a couple of the over one visit a few years ago to read to the children and they hope for them every time I visit. In fact, last visit, when I started to read to his younger brother, the young man above ran into the room concerned that we were reading "Anatole" without him! (We weren't, but he stayed for story time anyway.)

I thought the boys would outgrow the Anatole books by now, but evidently not. I should have a new one for them by Christmas as a surprise; it's on the way from a used book shop in the states. I'm still missing a few (Anatole and the Robot; Anatole and the Poodle; and Anatole in Italy). They are difficult to find and generally quite expensive when I do find them; I was pleased to find Anatole and the Pied Piper for under $15.00.

I am very pleased that the boys still enjoy story time (the big kids often make their way to the room as well), and that they haven't outgrown picture books with good stories. In fact, this family is a book family and mom and dad reading to the kids (and to each other) has always been a part of their life. It's fun for all of us when I get to read to them as well!

November

November is somehow gone and it's December. There is snow on the ground and ice on the sidewalks and it's definitely winter. I'm just not sure what happened to November!

I had a lot of facilitator meetings in November, and a few that had to be rebooked until the end of the month (and one until December 1). The weather stayed pretty good all month, so that was nice. There were some colder days towards the end of the month, but not much snow until this week.

We started Christmas concert practices this month. This year I included a sign up deadline in the notice, so most people were signed up by the Monday before the first practice. Of course, I let in everyone else who wanted to sign up late, but that wasn't many people, and most of them were still before the practice. We have close to 90 children involved this year!

I had to talk to a couple of parents about their children misbehaving during practice. Granted, sitting still is tough for small boys (the entire role of the shepherd is summed up in "sit still and don't talk"), but there was some excessive movement and talking. The moms were really good about it, so we'll see how things go in the next practice.

Women's ministry finished up and we're on winter break. I have a few weeks off from reading and trivia games. I'm okay today (the first week off), but by January I'll be ready to be back with my lambs.

Helping with the little guys during support group continued to be enjoyable. I also helped with childcare for the AGM. This was more of a mix of children, ranging from around 3-12. There were only 9 children (although I had a baby to hold for part of the evening), and they mostly did their own thing. I had a tentative plan, but dumped it for letting them play and make up their own games.

November really wasn't that exciting. Nothing happened out of the normal, day-to-day stuff. It wasn't a bad month; it was just a month.

What's Happening Lately?

Not so much writing, that's for sure! I just realized that almost two weeks have passed since I last posted. I've been busy, but also not feeling inspired. I need to get back on track with writing, though. Happily, work meetings are almost done and hopefully I'll have more thoughts to share soon!

So....

• I've been completing my fall facilitator visits. I have one more next Monday and then I'm done! I had hoped to be done by the end of November this year, but a few people had to rebook because of illness, so I'm now scheduled to finish December 1.
• Christmas concert planning! We have had our first practice and it went fairly well, I think. The first one is always a bit crazy as we get kids organized. There are more than 80 children involved this year. 
• A bit of reading, although nothing exciting. Mostly "bus reading", which is lighter novels.
• Some childcare for work events. Also nothing exciting, but still fun. And I get to read to them.
• Wednesday mornings with my homeschool kids. So more reading! And some trivia, which is often hilarious as they try to come up with answers.
• Just life as it happens. 

Next week my schedule shifts again as I will be home more. I'll get back to various projects (including making more angel costumes). And maybe I'll be inspired to write something worth reading.

A Town Like Alice: A Book Review

I am not entirely sure how A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute made it onto my book radar. Maybe it was part of a recommended reading list (but which one?), or mentioned in another book, or I just saw it online somewhere. It's a bit of a mystery!

(Please note: the following two paragraphs contain spoilers, but nothing that you wouldn't see if you read the back of the book.)

The book was written in 1950 and encompasses World War II and a bit beyond. The main character is Jean Paget. She was living in Malaya at the start of the war, with several other women and some children, was forced into a 7-month death march around the island by the Japanese (side note: in the author's note, he says that it's based on an actual event in Sumatra during the war; it seems the Japanese didn't know how to (or want to) deal with a group of female and child prisoners and so kept sending them elsewhere). Eventually Jean and what is left of her group settle in a village for the remainder of the war. Once they are rescued, she goes back to England and tries to forget.

Of course, it's not that easy. There's an unexpected inheritance from a rich uncle, a return to Malaya to help the village who helped her, news that the Australian soldier who saved her life didn't die after all, a trip to Australia, and the challenges of outback life.

The story is good, and I really enjoyed it. I learned something about Malaya (now part of Malaysia) and Australia in the 1950s. The characters are complex enough to be interesting.

The most interesting part is that it's written in first person, but not from Jean's perspective. The story is told by Noel Strachan, the elderly lawyer who oversaw her uncle's estate. It starts with him telling us about his meeting with the uncle, and then his later meeting with Jean after the uncle dies. The uncle left the money in trust for Jean until she turns 35 (she's still in her 20s in the book), so Noel stays involved and gets quite interested in Jean's situation. We learn her history as she tells it to him. When she leaves for Australia, it is easy to forget that the lawyer is telling the story; she has been writing to him regularly so he feels he knows what it going on and he pops up occasionally as an advisor and in relation to the trust. It isn't until the end that it comes right back to him, and the book ends with the Noel talking.

So: Is it her story or his story? Maybe both. Either way, it is worth reading.

Remembrance Day