"The Crown"

Tonight was one of the performances of "The Crown."  All I can say, initially, is AMAZING!  If you haven't been, go tomorrow!!!!

My oldest and I went last year and I loved it then.  Indy and I also attended "The Thorn" (the adult version ;)) with some friends and were moved by it too.

This year was different!  Every year is a bit different...but for us, our family, it was different.

We all went together!

I knew I was pushing it, age-wise, with Sissi and will admit to being concerned that she would get scared.  Not a bit!  In fact, the end of this posting will be about her and the reactions she had that brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

The performance starts off with three elementary aged children (siblings) finding a tree house in the woods behind their own home.  They meet a young Jesus and get to see Jerusalem at it's bustling, busy prime and then Jesus grows up and they follow him through his ministry.  There are several cute songs and dances that they do for the enjoyment of the children.  My boys loved when the Roman Centurions starting doing the slow motion "fighting" moves during the "oh-oh-oh-oh" part of "Kung Fu Fighting" and then all of Jerusalem erupts into the dance with them...including the Pharisees.  Gwangi also kept asking, "Mommy, when will there be another battle scene between the demon dancers and the angel dancers?"  It was visually breathtaking!

They added a bit more detail this year to the crucifixion of Jesus and you saw him after he was beaten and the crowd yelling to Pilate for his death.  They have Pilate wash his hands and Jesus is made to carry the cross through the entire auditorium and during this part, they played the Jared Anderson song "How He Loves"...I'll be honest, Indy and I were both in tears and handing each other tissues.  If you haven't heard this song yet...it's a must!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C0ZGr9afI4

At the end was a children's version of an altar call.  The lady talking told her testimony about coming to know the Lord at the age of 12 and Sissi blurts out "I'm 3!"  It was really sweet.  As she continued telling about how much Jesus loves us and how you too can have him live in your heart, she invited children who were interested to come forward.  I find that Sissi is out of her seat and walking past us to the front.  I ask her "Do you want to go up there, do you want Jesus in your heart?" and she said "Yes, I'm going mommy!"  I went up with her and probably 100 other children, and we said the prayer together.  I'm not sure she understood the whole thing; but, it was amazing and memorable and WOW, I will never forget this!

We went back to our seats and joined the boys and as we're gathering up our things to go, the family in front of us touches my arm and says "Your children were so precious tonight, the things they said, they really blessed our family."  What an awesome thing to hear!  Thank you again!

As we were leaving the auditorium, Sissi says she wants to see Jesus.  She wanted to give him a hug and tell him that she loves him.  We tried telling her that he was still inside and she was in tears.  Indy offered to take the boys and go get the car and meet me in the front.  Sissi and I went back inside and waited at the actor entrance/exit door.  We saw my friend Rowena, and all three of her children, from the show and talked a bit.  We told Sissi that "Jesus" was a man that was just in costume and pretending to be Jesus for the show.  She very matter of factly says "The real Jesus is in heaven."  We smiled at her!

After some time, we realized that he wasn't coming out and so we moved to leave.  As we turned around, there he was, by the regular entrance/exit and we walked over to him.  "Jesus" bent down and hugged her and she said "I'm Sissi" and he said "I'm Jeff.  You know that I'm just in costume, right?".  He held her as she went on and on about all the things she liked about the show, how he was the "fake Jesus" and that the real Jesus was in heaven and in her heart and she loves him so much.  He honestly took about 5 minutes with her and quite the crowd formed around them.  It was so precious.  As we said goodbye and started to leave, he said "You know Sissi, I think you're going to be a preacher some day." : - )

I just love my little girl, her heart is so huge!  Can she have a will of steel (oh yes, just like her mother ;)); but, she knows what she believes and honestly, she may not "get" it all; but, she sure knows the truth.  Praise you Lord for children that know who You are and aren't afraid to tell the world about You!

It helps me, on those "tougher" days, to remember Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way they should go, and when they are old, they will not depart from it."  I thank you Lord for promises kept!!!!!