Before the school year began, I was asked if I could be the chapel speaker for four different services at the Christian high school connected to the middle school where I teach. I jumped at the chance, as I love to speak, especially to teens.  Of course this commitment comes with the complication that I need to leave my middle schoolers for an hour or so.  Thankfully for my most recent speaking opportunity a coworker who was free that period offered to cover my class.  Leaving my seventh and eighth graders in capable hands, I started my day with the high schoolers in the chapel.

I was especially pleased for this most recent service because it happened to fall on my 55th birthday.  After the student led worship team led everyone in several songs, I began.  Writing about what was basically a sermon is very different than writing about a show.  There are no routines to talk about, and any reference to specific moments or points would only come across as disjointed.  Basically, I spoke about gifts, specifically, of course, the gift of the Christ child on the first Christmas.  I spoke of this gift. Though, as an offensive gift, not unlike a teen age boy being given deodorant from a girl in his class or a teenage girl receiving Midol from a guy.  Yes these are gifts, but they clearly make implications that are hard to accept. So too the gift of a Savior implies there is something we need to be saved from and we can't save ourselves.  Let's stop making the Christmas story (and the Gospel in general) so sweet and self serving.  Anyway, that was the most.

I am please to say, though, that several kids asked their teachers for additional prayer after the service. These types of personal responses to a service or a show always encourage me.  It's nice to know what I've said and done has connected with someone.