Home for Christmas - IV

So many stories, so little time...

Up next: The Christmas Pageant 2009.

We are working on a tradition of acting out the Christmas story from Luke (with a bit of Matthew) every year --either on Christmas eve or Christmas morning. This year we put it off until Christmas night when K and Natalia were to arrive.

We love doing presents, but don't want what--who, rather--we're celebrating to literally get lost in the wrapping paper. I really appreciate my family's willingness to participate in our efforts to ground Christmas in Christ.

One thing I love about my family is that if they are in, they are usually ALL-in. After I had written the parts on slips of paper and everyone had drawn, my mom and the other wise men disappeared into her room for costuming. J read. Whenever we came to a point where there was an appropriate Christmas carol, we sang: "Away in a Manger, " followed by "Angels We Have Heard on High," and "We Three Kings." I think that "Silent Night" was in there somewhere. Here are a few highlights:

I drew the donkey, so Mary (Pixie) rode on me to Bethlehem. My brother D was cast as Joseph.


Auntie M was a sheep (and a fabulous sheep she was), and Auntie N was the other shepherd (my second part, after the donkey). I'm really not sure how my fur jacket from when I was 8 was appropriate shepherdwear...but you never can tell what might come out of the cedar closet. It was GREAT (and N. and I postponed the argument about whose jacket it is, seeing as how she wore it but probably wasn't born when I received it).


Uncle K and Bud were the angels....fearsome and bold.


We shepherds were afraid,


and sang Gloria with them. Glory to God in the highest!

Mary stored up these things, pondering them in her heart.



Herod (and all Jerusalem) were troubled by these things, even as the star shone brightly.

(This year, as my Bible study is wrestling through Matthew, I've wondered why all of Jerusalem didn't run to Bethlehem).



The wise men offered their gifts to the newborn king. Not to Herod, who may have found this lack of gift-giving a little offensive. Or a lot.



During this season of Epiphany, I hope that you, too, will know and be drawn to the light of Christ the King.