GRANDKID'S GAZETTE DECEMBER 2011

   This is an exceptional Christmas celebration since the members of two churches had the opportunity to attend Christmas celebrations within a few days of each other and together will soon bring us into the New Year of 2012.  The first performance was at Grace Bible Church where my four great grandchildren and their parents attend regular services.  A few days later the next one was held at the Alliance Church.  Both were attended by packed crowds.  We were taken back in time to the manger scene with the Wise men and saw them coming from the East in appropriate regalia to see the newborn babe who would grow in wisdom and stature and bring light to the world.  This wisdom sounds much like the Golden Rule of Life that I first heard about in the late 1920s at a small Alberta country school.  Although this rule and way of living is said to be recommended by all religions and be part of the life’s journey of each individual, it is obvious that the effort to put it into practice is challenging.  “Whatever you would like people to do to you, do you also to them.”  The daily decisions that help carry out this rule and then put it into to practice are all a part of life’s challenges and daily decisions of life’s journey here on Earth.

   Another part of the performance included scenes of Noah and his fellow carpenters preparing to withstand the Great Flood that had been predicted.  If a tiger or other animal’s head slid off and until recovered we could guess who the performer was.  But it was all great fun to watch and see how efficiently all the scenes were directed by a few adults.  We parents and grandparents thought they were all wonderful as we watched lines of children of various ages with shiny tiaras dancing on their heads as they marched back to the stage.  We all clapped with delight.  Too soon it was time to depart and the back pews were first to leave to make space available. This provided a safe mini-stage for my youngest great grandchild whose steps danced back and forth with one hand clutched to the back of the next pew for safety.  Her three older sisters kept a close eye on their small sister whose quick steps and smiles of delight showed she was enjoying her little step dance.  Suddenly her joyous smile bent itself into a downward frown.  Mommie was missing from the little crowd nearby.  Her three sisters quickly pointed to their mother walking back in viewing distance and the just-over year-old dancer returned to her happy performance.  Mommie was safely back and that was after all the most important performance of all for the small dancer.