Sister Nuttle had a dazed look in her eyes. She shook her head and snapped herself out of the trance she was in, but the look of panic was still there. She spoke at the microphone, a slight hint of desperation in her voice.

“Children…”

No one heard her.

“Ah hem… Children”

Again, no one heard.

“Ah hem, Ah HEM, AH HEM… children.”

Abbie, Ashlyn, Aubrey and Adrianne all stopped giggling.

Jason, Justin, Jake and Josh all stopped chewing their gum.

Kaitlyn, Kayla, Katie, and Kaylin all stopped talking.

Everyone looked at Sister Nuttle.

Everyone wondered why Sister Nuttle's hair looked a little frazzled.

Everyone wondered why Sister Nuttle's glasses were not quite centered.

Everyone wondered why Sister Nuttle's forehead looked a little worried.

“Okay, let's get started. Let's have all the eleven year old boys come and take a seat…”

Before she could finish, Jeremy, Mason, Drew and Dallin all raced to get the best seat. Drew accidentally tripped Dallin who tripped Mason into Jeremy, Sister Nuttle in disbelief finished her sentence, “Quietly.”

The rest of the children were seated without incident or injury and the Primary Program Practice began.

Sister Morris, the chorister, stood up and signaled everyone to stand.

Travis, Jackie, Trent and Addison were all looking at Taggart, Julie, Tom and Anthony who were all trying to find the hymn books under the choir seats.

A few heard and stood.

A few sat and stared.

A lot didn't even notice that Sister Morris was even up there.

When it was time to sing the first verse of their first song, Jessica sang the chorus, Jonathon sang the second verse, and Zachary didn't sing at all.

When Calvin, Stephanie and Jordan stood to give their talks, they nearly ate the microphone.

When Maria, Holly, and Gina stood to give the scripture, their booming voices woke the teachers.

When Kelsey, Lana, and Andrew stood to give the theme, they spoke so quietly no one could even hear.

When the program practice was over, everyone wondered why Sister Nuttle was breathing in a brown paper bag.

Everyone wondered why make shift fans were being waved at Sister Nuttle's face.

Everyone wondered why Sister Nuttle looked an off shade of normal.

The next day the congregation waited.

Parents winked and nodded at their children as they were invited to be seated on the stand.

Each child stood. Each child smiled and each child walked, not ran, up to the stand.

Every child noticed Sister Nuttle's cheery smile.

When prompted by Sister Morris to stand, each child stood, in due time.

Everyone noticed Sister Nuttle's beaming pride.

When each child sang, they sang! Each one singing, each one knowing the truth of every word they sang and everyone noticed Sister Nuttle dry her eyes.

When the children took their turns to speak, some still ate the microphone, some spoke soft and shy, some spoke loud and confident and some just stood and stared. But each one spoke and felt the truth and everyone noticed Sister Nuttle bow her head.

When the program ended, all was quiet, all was calm, all was at peace and nobody wondered why Sister Nuttle's eyes pooled with tears. Nobody wondered why she nodded her head in approval and nobody wondered why she hugged each and every child as they went home that day.