If you’ve been with me since the first day of Advent, you know that Mary, Joseph, and even a few animals are now waiting in our stable. Since he’s already made a couple of appearances, the angel should be next.
Our famous Christmas angel, Gabriel, appeared long before Jesus’ birth in the Old Testament book of Daniel:
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Now that I’ve got our nativity stable in place, and I’m reaching back into the box for Mary, or Joseph, or the tiny manger crib, I can hear the memory of my children asking, “But what about the animals?”
During the annual retelling of the “no room in the inn”, my kids would often interrupt to ask about the fate of the animals who may have given up their home on that first Christmas night. I usually responded with a variety of fast-talking half-answers:
Oh, we’re not sure it was actually a stable, it could have been another type of small shelter, so maybe there were no animals around. Now listen up to hear what happened next…
Maybe the owner’s stable was brand new and he didn’t have any animals yet. Anyway…
Well, if there were animals, I’m sure they were happy to make room for Jesus. Let’s turn the page...
Our nativity set does include a few animals, but I rarely unpack them. Our table is small and my time is precious, so let’s get to the point, right? And honestly, who wants animals cluttering Christmas, anyway?
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Sadly, I’m not going to make it. With only a handful of days left in the year, I’m several projects behind on my home-improvement goals, several pounds away from that diet/exercise target, and nowhere near where I dreamed my savings account would be by then end of 2019. Continue reading
An online quiz promised to tell me what kind of cookie matches my personality. I was hoping for chocolate chip, but I got oatmeal raisin. The shame. Maybe I’ll do better with my spirit animal …
We’re obsessed. Chances are, if you’re like me, you know your Myers Briggs letters, or your Disney princess, or maybe even what Hogwart’s school fits you best. I’m Gryffindor.
Of course it’s harmless and fun, but with all this talk, I’m finding myself ranking my personality high or low, evaluating, comparing, wishing…. Continue reading
I love our house at Christmas time. The lights on our tree give our living room a peaceful glow. My miniature village hides the dust on the piano, and the garland draws the eye away from the stained carpet and scratched wood floor.
But I know in January, the Christmas clutter will have worn on me and I’ll be quick to haul boxes of nativities, candles, and fake village-snow back to the basement. Continue reading
I like the music of The Little Drummer Boy, especially the new Pentatonix version, but that little smiling percussionist makes me uneasy.
I can remember watching the movie as a child and worrying because Mary sure seemed to like that drum song… and I don’t play.
Stooping For Manna 