Channeling Mahalia

The Sunday before Christmas, the children of our church put on a Christmas pageant/performance. The middle school/high school kids take an active part in the performance writing the script, acting and singing solos. The younger children dress as angels and shepherds and sing in the choir.

A few Sundays ago, Chloe was sent home with a sheet of 4 songs that we should practice for the pageant. Chloe only wanted to sing one of the songs, "Go Tell it on the Mountain". The fact that Chloe chose to love this song is riotous and ironic as it was mine and my sister's favorite Christmas song of time. During the Christmas season, we would put Mahalia Jackson's version of "Go Tell it on the Mountain" on my parents record player and belt it out with her. It's a favorite memory. So, when Chloe took a liking to the song, I had to find Mahalia Jackson's version for her to practice with. Chloe practiced the song with Mahalia and Aretha Franklin. She knew all the words.

The Sunday morning of the performance, Chloe had to be a church early for a rehearsal. It was during rehearsal that I learned that having Mahalia and Aretha as tutors for your 3 year old probably wasn't the best idea. Chloe was belting it out 10 decibels above the other children. All you could hear was Chloe's version of "Go Tell it on the Mountain". She was bringing it and feeling it. Luckily, the choir director loved her enthusiasm for the song as well as she was the only pre-schooler who knew all the words (along with Aretha's special opening of the number).

Unfortunately, Chloe's jubilation and soulful rendition did not come out during the church service. During the performance, the little girl next to Chloe pushed Chloe and told her to sit down after they finished singing "Away in the Manger". This angered Chloe who then ran down the aisle of the church seeking me out to tell me of the offense. After telling Chloe the little girl was just trying to help her we sent her back up to sing "Go Tell it on the Mountain". Chloe was not pleased to stand next to her new arch nemesis, the little girl, and proceeded to pout and not sing "Go Tell it on the Mountain". She just wasn't feeling Mahalia anymore.