Merry Christmas Eve

I love Christmas Eve. I love the anticipation and excitement. I love to think about the world, all those long years ago, not knowing it was about to receive the greatest gift God has ever given to man. (Even if if didn't technically happen at Christmastime.)

This year, we went to our friends' house for yummy Mexican food. My friend's mom had made her a really cute set of Nativity costumes so we had fun dressing the kids up. Here's Josh as a little shepherd and Jane as a sweet little Mary.




After this we went to a live Nativity at a little farm near here. We ran into some more friends from church and had fun singing Christmas carols while trying to keep warm around a fire pit. It was really cold and I didn't choose my footwear wisely. (My feet felt like little blocks of ice by the time we got back in the car.) After waiting for the previous group to finish watching the presentation in the barn, we then headed into the barn which I hoped would be warmer. And it was... marginally. It was also set up like the Nativity with little kid shepherds, Mary and a real baby Jesus. I don't remember seeing Joseph anywhere. He was probably on a hot cocoa break. The electric lights and small band with keyboard and a microphone seemed a little out of place. But I can see the necessity not having actual angelic choirs on hand. The highlight of the presentation was actually not part of planned material. During one of the scripture readings or songs one of the massive horses in the barn starting peeing. The only angelic voice I heard at that point was Jane asking me, "What is that noise, Mommy?" Everyone just chuckled and went on with the show. Still, all I could think was, "Poor Mary, having a baby in conditions like these." Hopefully it was warmer for her since she was in the Mediterranean. January in Bethlehem is definitely warmer than upstate NY and since December is not known to be the actual birth month of Jesus, hopefully Mary had better weather. And hopefully she had angels helping her since she didn't have the blessed epidural I enjoyed with both my children.

On the drive home, I asked the kids if they would like to be born in a place like that, like the baby Jesus was. Dumb question. Jane, who was utterly enchanted by the horses in the barn and Josh who would live outside if you let him, both gave an unequivocal "Yes." Oh well, hopefully this is only one of many ways in which they will wish to emulate Jesus Christ. Grateful for Him at Christmastime and always.