The Reason

My sister and her family don’t live near us anymore.  This was a great loss to us, of regular adventures and cousin gatherings.  (The cousins number 22 now, with the next generation of 6 in tow!)  But even over the distance I would do anything within my abilities to remain connected to them somehow.

A few weeks ago this connection happened with an unusual text request from my sister:  could I write a nativity play for her 3 and 4 year old preschool class?  And… soon?

A quick phone call provided the rest of the details:  a former teacher taking the old book with her, the same songs that still must be sung every year, and a wardrobe of legendary costumes including Mary, Joseph, Shepherds, and Angels.  Oh!  And please write in references for kids who will be wearing the cow, cat, mouse, star, and earth costumes too.

Of course, I said yes; how long would it take to craft a 10 minute program that included 4 songs already provided?

Well…. Let me share with you:  it takes WEEKS.  I thought and pondered and prayed on it.  I read the song lyrics.  I listened to the music.  I researched appropriate preschool show length. Could kids handle dialogue?  Should there be a single narrator?  I wanted to include personal details significant to the kids, so I looked up information like the names of the principal and pastor, and the street address of the school.  Of course my sister, Mrs. Howard, had to be in there too!

This writing assignment now seemed even more daunting than my weaving together the 2008 classic “A-Z  Mrs. Doyle’s Bee” story, illustrated and published by my nephew’s Kindergarten  class!  And that assignment request did not even require 4 verses of the song “Bethlehem is Full”.

But the more time I spent drafting, the more clear it became.  Who is this program really for?  This is for the littlest of children, and they really needed what is most essential about the Nativity story.  There is no better writing about the birth of Christ in tiny Bethlehem than what is found in the Gospel of Luke:  the angel appearing with news to Mary, her beautiful “yes”, good Joseph as provider and protector, a long journey, a simple stable. Focusing on the essential, the writing came easily now.  We remember how the shepherds came to adore, and of course a cow and cat and mouse could be present in the stable.  Even more, the Light has come to the Earth!  

Thankfully, my sister said the Nativity script was “perfect”, and it will be released for One Night Only very soon.  Who knows?  Perhaps it will run in future Christmas Programs as well.   One thing is certain:  even the smallest of children will know the important details of that most Holy Night.

There are only 2 more weekends until the start of Advent.  While you might not be preparing a pre-school production, perhaps you too could ponder what is most essential about this Holy season, and start planning now to keep it simple.  You won’t regret it!