Jack's first Christmas program vs. AWANA caroling night

Which should win?

Should I go see Jack sing "Away in a Manger" with all his fellow MDOers

or

Should I drive the AWANA girls over to an assisted living home to carol and deliver handmade beaded bracelets to the elderly?

Support my child or teach the next generation how to minister to the widows?

hmm...

Let me add that Jack's daddy could not be at the program, so no one would be there to see him.

Let me also add that I am the director for the AWANA girls and that I planned this whole thing a couple months ago.

Both events were tonight.

Want to know what I did?

At 5:00 I took the boys to First United Methodist Church to eat the meal that was provided before the Christmas program.

They started serving at 5:15. And it was the most delicious baked ziti I have EVER had. It was so good that my boys ate all that was on their plate and asked for mine.... They also asked for my ice tea.

I cleaned them up real good (red sauce) and after a little discipline session Jack was good to go.

Jack went to his class, I ran to the van with Ty, we made it to church 5 minutes late.

My friend Sarah kindly became responsible for Jack after I left.

Jack sang beautifully --I'm told. He actually SANG! I was thinking there would be a "deer in the headlights" look on his face the whole time.

He got delivered to our church after the program.

Back to Ty and me.... Ty to his class and I jumped in the driver's seat of the running church van and headed to Royal Estates with the girls.

The girls (AWANA students at church) have been working the previous two weeks on bracelets. They came out beautifully. Our talented leaders wrapped them in Christmas boxes with ribbons. It was a wonderful gift.

We wanted to take these women presents. They don't get a lot of visitors and they sure don't get many Christmas gifts. Our girls also made homemade cookies for the men.

We made small, medium and large bracelets. Some were red and green, some different shades of blue, some amber colored and some were all colored.

We looked at the women's wrist before we gave each one the bracelet. We wanted them to fit.

God blessed these ladies tonight, he blessed me by being able to witness something that I'm sure He was responsible for.

It was this:

Every bracelet fit the recipient, all 25 that we gave out --with one exception (and we swapped hers).

Not only that, but the bracelets matched what the ladies were wearing! And two of the ladies commented on how those were "their colors." our boxes were wrapped. We did not know what the bracelet inside looked like, only the approximate size. What a God we have, that He matched up the gifts with each little old lady.

He cares.

He loves us.

He let my girls see the delight and appreciation on the ladies face when they heard the singing. He let my girls see the surprise on the ladies faces when they saw that we had a gift for them.

Some put the gift aside so they could focus on the ones who came to bless them.

Some let the girls help them open the presents.

It was so fun.

I feel like I'm rambling on here, that this post is not smooth.

Now that the evening is over, I think Jack doesn't mind too much that both his parents missed his program. I'm pretty sure he knows we love him.

I think that if we constantly demonstrate (and verbalize) our love for him that he will not be bothered if we sometimes miss his programs. I want him to learn from us how to serve. I don't want him to think our world revolves around him. I want him to learn that our world revolves around loving God by serving people. I want him to join us in serving.

I think he'll get it.

Chris and Sarah, I'll be over SOON to watch the video of Jack and Noelle's program.