This month began with Michael gone most evenings as he prepared for our church's "Lessons and Carols" weekend (the 8th and 9th). This is the second year that he has had the honor of directing the performance and it did not disappoint. He works closely with our Worship director and his administrative assistant, and I am so grateful for how the three of them work together - since this is a second job for Michael, he couldn't do this without them. This is also the second year that Noah has been able to participate in the event, as a member of the Children's Choir. The whole evening drew us in and pointed us towards the beauty of Salvation through the birth of Jesus, born as a lamb, in a humble stable. At one point, I just melted into a puddle as I sat in the front row with Noah, Ethan, and my Grandma as the choir began singing Lauridsen's "O Magnum Mysterium" which sung in Latin means:
O great mystery
and wondrous sacrament,
that animals should see the newborn Lord
lying in their manger.
Blessed is the Virgin whose womb was worthy
to bear the Lord Jesus Christ. Alleluia!
And as the choir began, I could see both my son, Ethan, and his Daddy begin to direct the piece together. I just couldn't keep it in.
My Grandma Erickson (who is 90!) flew from Minnesota to Raleigh where my parents picked her up and brought her to Charlottesville just so she could come see Lessons and Carols. The boys LOVED spending time with their Great-Grandma. Noah said, "She's so fun!" After she arrived, the boys quickly took her on a tour of our little home and ten minutes later I wondered where they had gone. I found them all in Noah's room where he was pulling out his "snap circuits" to show her, and she was just giggling with delight. She also taught us all a little Norwegian:
My parents and Michael's parents were both in town that same weekend! It was wonderful to have everybody here at the same time and very gracious of our neighbor to let some of them stay in her home.
This past week also brought lots of celebrating as Noah gave his first piano recital performance of "Away in a Manger" at Grace Church in Keswick. He did such a great job!! He is thoroughly enjoying his lessons with Lenora Conway. She is so patient and challenges Noah's musical mind.
On Tuesday evening, Michael's Third and Fourth Grade Choruses gave their concert which was diverse in tradition and song. They did a wonderful job, performing for their supportive parents who packed the auditorium and gave them a standing ovation! Michael is incredibly blessed to have such a supportive base of parents at his school. The Fourth Grade chorus closed the program with "Dona Nobis Pacem" or "Give Us Peace" and Michael introduced the piece with a quote from Leonard Bernstein in response to last weeks' tragedy in Connecticut.
"This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, and more devotedly than ever before."
This was so well received, one parent passed a recording of the performance along to a local public radio station who aired it, along with the sentiment, the following evening!
Ethan also had a chance to perform this week in his first preschool Christmas program. Michael and Noah even took off from school a little bit to be there. Ethan smiled widely from ear to ear to see his family watching him, this time. His teachers are so sweet to have the children sing songs and recite poems that point them to Jesus. We are grateful to have such a delightful preschool in our church. Here is Ethan afterwards with his good friend, Katherine. If you want to see some short clips from their program, here is the link.
Today, we have three days left before Christmas, our Christmas cards are yet to go out, but we eagerly await the coming of the baby King! It is good to stop in the middle of this busy season and be grateful.
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