We Gotta Rethink this Whole Thing

He told me I could tell this.

He was coming at me yesterday morning.

He’s a highly respected, friendly and caring professional in our community.  Our church loves him, and so do I.

Normally cheerful, he looked worried.

Everyone else was smiling, laughing and congratulating the crowd of over 30 people involved in this weekend’s Children’s Christmas Cantata, Arrest These Merry Gentlemen.  It had just ended.  We had concluded the service and received the Benediction.  The back of the sanctuary was filled with, well, merriment.

But not him.  As he worked his way through the throng, his distinguished brow was classically furrowed.  He was getting closer to me in the now-informal receiving line amidst the mob of exuberant children.

We made eye contact.  He shook his head.

We were face to face.  He shook my hand.

“I don’t know about all this,” he began.  “We gotta rethink this whole thing.”

“Pardon me?” I replied in surprise.  “They learned their lines, sang their songs, told about the first Christmas, had us laughing and then even crying at the end.  They got a standing ovation after that 45 minute play!”

“I know.  They were excellent.  They were beyond excellent!”  he said, both hands above his head now.  “And that’s the problem.”

I blinked at him.  No idea how to respond, totally uncomprehending.

“We gotta rethink this whole thing,” he said adamantly.

I was still clueless.  “Uh, what exactly do you mean?”

He grinned.  “How are any of us in the Choir supposed to follow this with our own Cantata next weekend?”

He laughed.

We both looked over at the kids and youth of our church and the adults who’d been working with them on their musical since August.

We looked at each other, grinned and did that handshake-kinda-hug-back-slap thing guys do.

“Great morning, Joe, a great morning!”

Love that guy.  He loves his Lord and he loves his church.

No need to rethink that.