To the hilt Part 2

December 15, 2009 | Posted By: Annie | 1 Comment
Filed Under Life 

I remember the funny nativity scene that my grandma had and when we would all get together on Christmas day (home videos play in my head as we speak) someone would read that passage in Luke. We each got to carry a character in when our part came along in the story. The best part was the figurines, they were about a foot tall and had plastic heads and hands but their bodies consisted of starch-stiffened brown and tan washclothes folded as robes. How the washclothes were stiff was always a fascinating mystery to me as a kid. I think that was all I was thinking about when I carried mine in. I also have a horrifying memory of my father as one of the wisemen in the church advent service. He was the darkest person (and handsomest) in the congregation, and got painted even darker.  It was kind of scary I think. Mainly his painted head swathed in fabric and cheap gold stuff.  Anyways enough! I am changing rabbit trails. After Marsh was born I really thought a lot about the incarnation. Jesus was somehow more real because I had become a mother. Oh Mary! how did you push out that baby in a barn!? I bet the cows made you feel much better.

And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.  - Luke 2:16-20