A Not-So-Silent Night

We had the pleasure of attending grandson Keegan's Christmas program at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Garden Grove tonight. This has become a new highlight of the holiday season in our lives. The program is a worship service, and tries hard to be serious business. Yet the joyful cacophony of pre-K to pre-teen voices singing their hearts out makes it difficult not to let out an equally joyful "YAY!!!" And that's what our 19 month-old granddaughter, Kendall, did after every song and every reading. Which of course caused old Granny here to laugh out loud. It didn't help that Keegan refused to sing and made funny faces for his mommy's flip video and his daddy's fabulous new camera (no flash allowed). Amazingly, when I started singing the words to his songs, he decided to sing too - and smile for the cameras. My guess is that I had nothing to do with it. His pre-K teacher was facing him and I'm sure she "suggested" that he start singing. Who knows?

This brief evening of song and scripture made my heart happy. I felt the essence of the reason for the season. A highlight happened when the esteemed kindergarteners YELLED their lyrics to "Away in the Manger" so loud that even the pastor's eyes got bigger.

What did Kendall have to say at the conclusion of this not-so-silent night? "YAY!" I couldn't agree with her more.