The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

My favorite concert lived up to my excitement. Big Sandy's Elementary School concert is always my favorite. It started with the 4th graders playing Cool Christmas tree on their recorders. Music Teacher TJ Bonds introduced them by saying parents might not appreciate their children's practicing, but the recorders teach valuable music basics.

Next was the 5th-grade band for their first-ever concert. They played three songs: March Steps, A Mozart Melody (Twinkle Twinkle Little Star—I didn't know that was a Mozart song), and Jingle Bells. Fifth graders David Overbay and Jack Sant played Jolly Old St. Nick in a Trombone Duet.

The sixth-grade band played Deck the Hall and Auld Lang Syn, arranged by TJ Bond. London Keane, Lauri Silvan, and McKenzie Werk played up on the Housetop as an instrumental trio. Abby Sietsema and Marquell Spotted Horse-Houle as a duet played My Dreydl.

George Silvan, David Overbay, and Dorothea Merrill all played piano solos. Lexie Jones, Eden Pansch, Liam Simpson, and Jaycee Worrall played Jolly old St Nicholas as a piano quartet.

And then the cuteness began—As the kindergarteners and 1st graders came out, they looked for their parents, and when they saw them, they waved and smiled so big. One danced to the music, and others stayed scared to death. They sang Hurry, Santa!, Dancer and Prancer, and We Wish you a Merry Christmas.

All the pretty dresses and Christmas attire! The girls all felt so beautiful! The 2nd and 3rd graders sang Hot Cocoa, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Christmas in the Valley.

The 4th-6th graders sang Stories in the Snow, O Little Town of Bethlehem, and Snow!

But the most impressive song was Room at My Table, sung by every student.

"When you're alone, when you feel sorrow, when your directions seem cold and unclear. If you've known the taste of a teardrop, you have a friend standing near.

You'll always find room at my table. This is where you belong.

If you know thirst, if you know hunger, in your distress, are you weary and worn?

When you're weighed down, when you're encumbered, when you can carry no more.

You’ll always find room at my table. This is where you belong.

Sometimes the world gets the best of us all, leaving us down on our knees. But soon comes the morning, and bright is the dawn. If only our hearts will believe.

If you seek peace, if you seek refuge, try to remember you're not all alone. We all need help. We all need shelter. We all need rest for our souls.

You'll always find room at my table. This is where you belong.