Has it been that long?

I didn't realize how long it has been since I have posted anything. Life does get a little hectic!

Our youth are in charge of one service a year, and that is the Hanging of the Greens. This is the first Sunday in Advent and we have the opportunity to set the stage for the rest of the Advent season. And.....tonight was the night.

One should understand that this is one of the most stressfull yet fun things that I do with the youth all year. We start the end of October giving out the parts.....Mary, Joseph, Simeon, the Innkeeper, Zechariah, the Maji, the Shepherds, the Angels......not always the same characters (except of course, Mary and Joseph), but parts to be given.

The first and second year I was in charge of this, I had found the most wonderful book with the service already spelled out and all I had to do was decide if I liked the hymns that were suggested or if I wanted to put in some different ones. Year 1 was fairly smooth, stubbling over lines and difficulty keeping them focused but overall okay. Year 2 was the year my husband and I went on a cruise so I was not there for the next to the last rehearsal and just barely (due to plane trouble) made it to the final rehearsal we do the afternoon of the service. But then, year 3 came along. I decided to combine a new service with parts from the old. Added a little bit of humor and off we went. The final rehearsal before the service was spent searching for my son when it was his time to play guitar or his time to speak, shutting down all the noise and just keeping up with everyone! I turned into someone I did not know existed. I became a woman on a mission. A mission from God. I spoke in a scary deep voice that used every bit of "projection" I had ever learned in any speech class. I was firm with that "MOM" look that would put any teenager, with even a smidge of since, into silent submission. The time came for the service and I did not see how it was ever going to work. I still had kids who did not know their lines or their cues or their places. Even though they had been in on every single rehearsal. And yet, through the Grace of God, it came off without a hitch (except the pastor missed his cue).

This year, I found 3 services and pieced them together along with parts written by me. Parts were handed out the first week of November and the rehearsals began. Last Wednesday, I sat all the kids down in the sanctuary. Half of them were too busy trying to text their friends and make jokes to have a clue what was going on and I started to let "that lady" back out. But, God took over. I began speaking to them about what this service is all about. It is an opportunity for the youth to set the mood of the church for the rest of Advent. To reach out to everyone present and touch them with the message of God. I cannot remember all the words I spoke, I know I was fighting tears as I spoke. It has been awhile since I truly let God take over and speak through me. When I finished, I realized I had been talking to myself as well. I had pointed out that this was much bigger than the kids and much bigger than me. This was not about what the church thought about my job as a youth director, but about what I was doing to glorify God. The kids quietly left the sanctuary. I don't know if it was quiet contemplation but I like to think God had touched their hearts. One of them came up to me later and said he just wished everyone "got it". That all of his friends realized what this was truly all about. I picked up my phone only to hear a voicemail that left me tears. "You gave a great message tonight. God has a plan for you. Hang in there." Those words will stay in my heart for a long time. "God has a plan for you"...... Tonight we got together and did a final run through, working through the logistics of the banners hanging, the poinsetta placement, the candles, the speed of speaking, the songs...... At 6pm it began.... I cannot tell you how it all went as I was behind the scenes and helping people make their entrances......I can tell you the solo I sang felt "right". I can tell you everyone was in their places and speaking their lines....and I can tell you the sanctuary was full and the comments that followed were good and praising the youth. Once again, they surpassed my expectations and amazed me. God bless each and every one of them. They are the biggest part of my heartbeat. God is so awesome to bless me with the opportunity to work with each and every one of them.