DINNER AND A SHOW

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 111

This evening, my wife and I zipped down the street to our community center to enjoy dinner and a show. It was the annual Taste of Jazz event: a three-course meal accompanied by incredible jazz music before and during the service. I tell ya, I was super impressed!

Now, I get it; these kids aren’t big-name musicians like Buddy Rich, Coltrane, Ellington, Armstrong, or Miles Davis. Not yet, anyway. They’re just kids, after all.

But given some time, perhaps one or two might become schoolteachers (who influence the next generation of musicians) or even make it to the “big leagues” and play with groups like Spyro Gyra, Four80East, or Snarky Puppy. (Yup, that last one is an actual group, formed by college students about two decades ago. My gosh, that was one run-on sentence. The Apostle Paul would be impressed. LOL).

Yes, I know my Jazz!

I loved jazz music growing up; I even played in the high school jazz band for a bit. Now, not to toot my own horn (pun fully intended), I was an outstanding, classically trained percussionist. That said, playing a drum kit wasn’t exactly my forte. Put me on a solo snare or tympani, and I could keep up with the best of them.

Just don’t ask my wife what happened at “band camp”—okay, it was an “All Honors Music” camp put on by the U of M, but still. It was a bit of an embarrassing moment. But on that day, I was introduced to the woman I’ve loved now for 40 years.

Anyway, I digress. I’m getting off-beat. Back to the jazz.

I wasn’t the best jazz drummer, but I loved the groove. Still do. There’s just something about the syncopation, swing, and improvisation accompanying a standard 2-5-1 progression. Even with high school kids, it’s great.

But neither the music nor the menu was the primary draw for us tonight. It was all about the kids.

In a small, rural town, this is just what you do. You get out to support the kids and their dreams. It’s even more fun when you know them personally because you see them almost every week in church:

• Sutter (9th Grade): Plays bass guitar, plays football, works tirelessly on the family farm, shows sheep and goats, and is the nicest "gentle giant" you’ve ever met.

  
  

• Julia (8th Grade): A.K.A. “Horshak”—inside joke! One of my bubbly confirmand who knows her Bible better than many adults.

  
  

• Eli & Miles (8th & 6th Grade): (Eli), Julia’s classmate and his brother Miles were there jamming, too. Quiet kids, but some of the nicest souls you’ll meet. Give those boys a fishing pole or baseball bat, and you'll find them in their happy place.

  
  

• Cooper (10th Grade): Super quiet, well-mannered, loves to serve, and can literally run circles around anyone I know.

I could go on and on naming kids in this community whom I’ve come to love. How could we not show up and support them?

Isn’t that what life is truly about? It’s not about things; it’s about people and showing up—not because you have to, but because you want to.

After all, God did that for us in the person of Jesus Christ. While none of us are Him, we can model ourselves after the way He lived: selflessly giving our time and love.

I’m thankful that the kids in our church cared enough to invite us to be a part of their big night. I’m thankful for their parents, who’ve become good friends. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve our community, and I’m grateful for the great dinner and show tonight. I sure do love me some jazz. (The food wasn’t bad, either!)

What are you thankful for today?