On this Second Sunday in Advent I wanted to share some of our nativities. Only one of them has a real story...but after taking them out each year, they each have a place in my heart.
This one, while a bit ubiquitous these days, is perhaps, my favorite. My parents gave it to us for our first Christmas. I like the simplicity of it.
This one came from my trip to Palestine.
This one was a wedding gift from my husband's Aunt and Uncle. It, too, is from Palestine.
This one belongs to the kids. It is out all year long. The animals take turns in the barn as well as the manger.
This one is from my Grandma. For thirty-three Christmases she gave me a silver bell like the one in the first photo. We have a gorgeous tree! When it came time to stop that tradition, she began to give me pieces for this Nativity. We have three kings as well, but they won't appear until January 6...Epiphany.
Then, there is this one. It makes me smile and brings tears to my eyes each year. It was made for me by a confirmation student. It was a total surprise...both that he gave me a Christmas gift and that the gift was a handmade Nativity. He was a slightly heavy, smart, sensitive junior high boy who grew up with parents who did not have the gifts to be supportive of his intelligence, interests or sensitivity. His family struggled with finances. They struggled with their faith as well.
So did their son.
It was a class made up of four boys. They were in 7th grade, none of them wanted to be at church after school each Wednesday but three of them grew up and participated in, the life of the small, rural congregation, so it home to them.
We'll call him Joel. Joel's parents, while themselves either against, or apathetic towards the church, forced him to attend Confirmation. And, so with these confusing messages, Joel rebelled a bit in class. He claimed not to believe in much, he once told me he was just there "studying the Christians."
So, much to my surprise this Nativity showed up one Christmas. I don't know why he made it. But I can't help but imagine that God was involved. What even gave him the idea? What went on in him as he designed, cut out, wood burned and then carefully penciled in the names of each person? I can only pray, trust and believe Joel grew in faith.
Oh, friends, he was so proud as he gave it to me. If you have ever been present as the veneer and bravado on a junior high boy comes down, you know the look on his face. His giggy joy and pride was hard for him to hide. I remember trying to share in his joy without embarassing him by crying or getting too emotional...not an easy feat. We lost contact after he was Confirmed. He is among one of many kids from that Call that I pray for...hoping that temptations didn't get the best of them and that God's grace grants them strength to grow into the full person God created them to be.
This Nativity...this one, this one is the only one that truly allows me a glimpse of the incarnation. God with us. God for us. God as us.
Advent Blessings.
3 comments:
So cute - I didn't realize the story behind that last Nativity scene - very fun. I think of you more often at Advent time every year!
This post reminds of something a former teacher told me not too long ago. This woman grew up attending all Catholic schools (grade school through college). She had a nun for a teacher in college when she was doing student teaching. As the other students were comlaining about this or that child, the nun would become quite agitated and told the college students that it was "Their job to find Jesus in every child. And I mean every child." I think about that alot when I come across a child that can be "difficult" or perhaps isn't behaving the way that I think he/she should be. Maybe I need to remember that God is always working in each and every one of us and to never give up on anyone!
This woman also gave me a quote that is framed and it says, "There is, in every child, at every moment, a miracle unfolding."
Anyway, loved this post. Thank you.
liked to see and hear about your nativities.
-BW
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