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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

live nativity

Sunday night we went to a nearby church that had a live nativity.  Given Julianna's love for nativities I knew she would enjoy it.  Plus, this seemed like a good year to find a church with a live one because it seems to be the year where materialism has really clicked with Jules and even with myself getting wrapped up in the presents and other "stuff" instead of the birth of our Savior.

Well anyway, it was cold.  I mean FREEZING cold.  And raining.  We kept hesitating about whether or not we should attempt it or not.  And we were dressed up before going to Jonathan's grandmother's annual Christmas party so when we got there we waited in the car since there really weren't many people out at all.

While we were waiting we kept hearing the donkey braying and we watched the cow eating some hay.  Josh had no idea what was going on, but he was definitely interested in the animal noises he heard and why we were just sitting there in the car.  Then they let the sheep out and Julianna got so excited she couldn't sit still.  She was climbing all around in her seat.

When the characters finally came out and the story started, we tried to watch from the car, but eventually Jules and I jumped out of the car and went to stand with the other people to listen to the story.  Jonathan and Joshua stayed in the car and they could hear pretty well from there, they just couldn't see everything.

As we stood outside the rain turned to snow and it was almost magical.  I'll be honest.  It was almost so cold that my brain couldn't function properly, but I've found myself reflecting back on the story several times since then, thinking about what it must have been like for Mary and Joseph traveling all that way and freezing cold themselves. I've wondered about the wise men following yonder star and King Herod being a "bad man" as Julianna put it, but basically just a man who was afraid of a little baby taking his place as king of the Jews.

We had to get back in the car before the play was over, but I'm so glad we heard what we did.  I am grateful for so many things.  Today I am mostly grateful for a fresh perspective.


For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

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