Is Christmas Today?

“Is Christmas today?” Melissa does say.
No not yet, it’s still four weeks away.
She’s on the computer in order to write,
But first she makes sure that the font is just right.
“I spend too much time on the computer says Mom.
But check out my website: girls-4-god.blogspot.com.”

“Is Christmas today?” Dalton does say.
No not yet, it’s still three weeks away.
Dalton loves cheese, and he loves it a lot,
But it has to be yellow and must never be hot.
With crayon and scissors he always does labor.
Are you ready to take on his paper lightsaber?

“Is Christmas today?” Elijah does say.
No not yet, it’s still two weeks away.
Elijah is still enamored with trains.
He drives them, he draws them, they fill up his brains.
The big green tractor he has a longing to steer.
He begs and he pleads till he’s on the John Deere.

“Is Christmas today?” Jessie does say.
No not yet, it’s still one week away.
Jessie likes dresses that swirl when you twirl.
Stockings and bows are the choice of our girl.
Everyone thinks she’s so quiet and meek.
Just try to cross her, and you’ll hear her loud shriek.

“Is Christmas today?” Abigail does say.
No not yet, but it’s just one day away.
Abigail has Velcro curls in her hair.
Is that hay and yesterday’s pizza in there?
She hops in the van whenever she’s told,
And the first thing she says is “What can I hold?”

“Is Christmas today?” the children do say.
Yes, it’s finally here, and the kids say “Hurray!”

This was our family's Christmas letter this year. My wife and I wrote it to give everyone a glimpse at our children's personalities.
Have a very merry and blessed Christmas. - Jeff

The Parable of Nick Jonas(Parable of the Ten Virgins)

Scripture Reference: Matthew 25:1-13

A story that teaches that one needs to always be ready.

[Note: This was originally written as "The Parable of Miley Cyrus" for a boy in our church who is crazy about Hannah Montana. When he backed out, I rewrote it for my daughter, who is going marry Nick Jonas. She is. Really, she is.]

Cast:
MELISSA – a huge fan of Nick Jonas

Costume:
Street clothes (Jonas Brothers T-shirt if possible)

Props:
None.

(MELISSA enters and faces the audience. She is very excited and animated)

MELISSA: I am so excited! I got to see… the Jonas Brothers last night! I such a huge fan. You do know that I am going to marry Nick Jonas some day. I am. Really, I am.

Anyway, I went with nine other friends. My mom drove us there, and before we left, she told everyone to make sure we had our tickets. Five of us checked to make sure we had our tickets. I mean, you've gotta have your ticket! The other five didn't check. They said they didn’t need to; they’d be just fine. I thought they were being foolish, but we’d see.

It was kind of a long drive to the concert, and we fell asleep. When we got there, Mom called out “Jonas Brothers time! Time to go see them!"

Well, I don’t have to tell you that we woke up and jumped our of the van. I was so freaked. Five of us pulled out our tickets and started running for the door. The other five reached for theirs but couldn’t find them. They search all of their pockets. They looked behind their ears and in their shoes. They practically undressed trying to find those tickets. Ew!

Our foolish friends asked if they could have our tickets. I don’t think so! Then we couldn’t get in. Duh! We told them they should have checked and that they need to go to the box office and buy their own tickets.

While they were gone, we got inside the building and started heading for our seats. We were the last ones in, so the ushers closed the doors. The we heard someone pounding on the windows behind us. It was our friends, and they were yelling, “Open the doors for us! Let us in!” The ushers said they were too late. But they told the ushers that they were with us. The ushers looked at us, but we said, “We don’t even know then.” The ushers made them go away, and they had to wait in the parking lot during the concert.

The concert was amazing! The Jonas Brothers are so awesome! You know I’m going to marry Nick some day. I am. Really, I am.

This all reminds me of a story we heard in Sunday school recently. It’s the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Those who were ready for the concert were rewarded. Those who were not ready were sent away. We had a fabulous time, and they got squat. Well, we did buy them each a T-shirt.

Well, I’m off to listen to the CD I bought at the concert. They are so great. Did I mention that I am going to marry Nick some day. I am. Really, I am.Later.

(MELISSA exists.)

The Pharisee & the Tax Collector

Scripture Reference: Luke 18:9-14

A lesson in prayer & humility.

Cast:
Pharisee
Tax Collector
Narrator

Costume:
n/a

Props:
Pie tin & whipped cream

Notes:
This one takes a little prep work.

1. You need a cream pie hidden, so it can be revealed at the last possible moment. Since the Pharisee is going to take a pie to the face, it would be best if this was a teacher.

2. Enlist one of the kids to play Tax Collector. Make sure it is someone light, because he/she will be lifted up at the end of the skit, which leads me to…

3. Draft 3-4 of the bigger boys (or adults) to rush up and lift the Tax Collector when Narrator says, “and he who humbles himself”. Don’t let the Tax Collector know this is going to happen.

NARRATOR: To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee (point to Pharisee, looking sweet and pious) and the other a tax collector (point to Tax Collector, looking dejected). The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself:

PHARISEE: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

NARRATOR: “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said,

TAX COLLECTOR: 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

NARRATOR: "I tell you that this man (pretend like you are going to point to the Pharisee then point to the Tax Collector), rather than the other (point to the Pharisee), went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself (hit Pharisee in the face with the cream pie) will be humbled, and he who humbles himself (wait for the boys to rush up and lift the Tax Collector in the air) will be exalted."