Starring Role

Luke came home from preschool a few weeks ago with some exciting news:

“Mommy, I’m going to be Joseph in our Christmas Program!”

After some quizzing to ascertain the validity of this statement and a quick glance at the teacher’s daily news (which did state that costume fittings and rehearsals for this year’s program had commenced), I was convinced that Luke was, indeed, going to have the starring role in his Christmas program.  And I nervously and immediately called Mark.

“Do those teachers not know Luke at all?”  I quietly hissed into the phone.  “He spent last year’s program staring at the floor, not uttering a word, and sang all of his Halloween songs this fall with his farmer hat over his face…”   (And dare I remind you readers that Luke performed his entire Vacation Bible School Program with his back to the congregation, so we had a lovely view of the back of his head).  I know how unpredictable and precocious our little man can be, and I now was anxious for him and the pressure that accompanies so many eyes on a child who has the lead in the school play. 

Mark chuckled and acknowledged my concerns, but reassured me:  “It’s just a preschool program, Carrie.  He’ll be fine!”

Since that time, we’ve been proudly announcing to grandparents (one of whom is a retired pastor, mind you), friends, and anyone who is interested about how excited Luke is to be Joseph, and how we all can’t WAIT to see the program this year with our son in the starring role!!

And then, one night this week at dinner, Luke started talking to us about that day’s program rehearsal at school, and he kept alluding to a donkey. 

“What do you mean?”  I asked Luke.  “When you are dressed up as Joseph during practice, do you lead a donkey to the stable?  Is another one of your classroom friends dressed up as the donkey?”

“No,”  Luke carefully replied.  “I don’t want to talk about it, Mommy.  It will just be a surprise.”

Mark raised his eyebrows at me, and I knew that we were thinking the same thing. 

After putting Luke to bed that night, Mark turned to me and asked, “Is our son the ASS now?”

And over the past couple of days, every time I thought about that “demotion”, I started laughing so hard that tears came to my eyes.  It was SOOOO much more fitting!  I mean, who CARES about the donkey’s behavior, right?   There would be NO pressure on the morning of program day if our son was the donkey!  We could sit back, relax, and enjoy the show!!

We never did get a clear answer from Luke as to whether he was going to be Joseph or the donkey. 

The Christmas program started this morning with a sweet reading of This is the Stable:

“This is the stable, dusty and brown,

In a quiet corner of Bethlehem town…”
 

A few verses later, we had our answer, as the teacher read:

 “This is the donkey, gray and white,

who stood near the manger all through the night.”   

  Luke proudly walked down the aisle of the church, with a cardboard cut-out picture of a donkey around his neck. A hint of a smile was on his lips, a spring in his step, and he gave Mark a high five as he passed him. 

 

The program was adorable, as all preschool programs are. Sweet, innocent, voices singing Christmas songs, God’s children joyfully playing hand bells and dressed in their holiday best:  

 

And somewhere in that church were two parents of the donkey, beaming with pride at their son, who did indeed have the starring role in their lives, that day and always.