Communion Confusion

I'm a fan of children.

Last night, my church had a Christmas service, and first up on the program was a children's chorus. Can you say precious? I sure can. There's something about little kids standing up in rows trying their hardest to remember the songs they've been taught.

Sometimes I watch these little kids, and I wonder what they'll act like in high school, in college, and in life. Sometimes I wonder if people looked at me and wondered the same sorts of thoughts, and if I am how they pictured.

Back to the children singing at church. They were all soaking in the Christmas service. It was new and entertaining. Besides an assorment of singing groups, we also served communion, again. Now, I knew this was coming, but I noticed one of the men passing the plates did not. I could not help but notice his confusion as he appeared not quite sure what to do. Normally, people who did not partake in communion in the morning would stand and he would serve them, but no one stood. Although he finally caught on to just pass it like he had that morning, he still looked bewildered.

I saw these questions scramble across his face:
What's going on? Why are we doing this? Can we do this? and How do I feel about this?

The little 5, 6, 7, 8 year olds were not asking these questions. To them, it makes no difference. But, if I had to guess, I would be willing to bet that this man had never asked those questions.

My point is this:
For the most part, kids do not care about habits and routines. They just live. They bask in life as it comes; they don't think too hard. Sometimes, I worry that we as people and especially we as Christians think a little too hard about some aspects of our lives and not hard enough about others.

This man seemed unsure about his thoughts on taking communion twice in one day. But, if the point is to commune with one another and to remember why we are even meeting in the first place, should that not rank above whether or not we remembered that morning as well?

To be completely honest, all of this is leading to one place: tradition. I'm all for tradition. 'Tis the season for excellent traditions all over the world to take place this week. But, my worry is that we sit idly in our traditions instead of remembering why they exist.

Television and Talent

Tonight, I spent roughly 3 hours watching some silly reality show called The Sing-Off.
Why? Why waste my precious break hours with televised nonesense?

Because I like talent. I love watching people be excellent at the things they love.

When I was a wee child of about 10 or 11, (okay, so, about a decade ago, not a terribly long time but work with me), I started playing piano. I didn't practice. And, by I didn't practice, I mean mother dearest could bribe me with every incentive known to candyloving-materially-minded-easily persuadable child sized ears known to man and it made no difference.
I liked to play, but I had no desire to practice. (But really, find me a kid who does...prodigies don't count they aren't wired like the rest of us to flock to N64's and social interaction).

The Sing-Off is an a capella singing group competition. Sounds boring right? It isn't. It blows my mind. A guy whose voice is the epitomy of cool, an old R&B-style guy that owns half the a capella industry on a comeback, some downhome southern boys, and a chick who beatboxes light up this show. (Let's not overlook Yales' penguin suited Wiffenpoofs, some jazzy music teachers, 15 guys who sound like Lady Gaga, and high school kids being a real life glee club)

I'll bet you these folks like to practice.
My teachers always told me: "Kelsey, now if you'd just sit down and practice you'd be amazing. You've got some talent in you, that's for sure, but just think if you practiced." I didn't listen for quite some time.

Want to know what made the difference? Passion.

I said I liked talent. To be completely honest...I lied. I like passion.
Those music groups had me wanting to clap when they finished. I can't even pick a favorite because I want them all to win. I caught myself literally leaning towards the screen of my laptop in anticipation as I waited for them to kick a group off the show. All because their passion is evident in their faces and their performance. They love every second of their performance because they are living their dream.

Passion gets us excited. Passion gets us into motion and accomplishing dreams. I'm a big fan of talent, but I'm a bigger fan of turning that talent into something and having a passion for that.
Let's go live our dreams.
A passion of mine is writing, so here begins a first step into my adventure.