Nativity Scenes

I am supposedly very busy this week. It is the last week of Advent, two days before Christmas, and I work in a church. Yesterday I glued the giant head of a wise man back onto his giant body. I helped decorate the sanctuary of the church while one member banged out Christmas tunes on the piano. A few of us croaked along, irony in every syllable, as we sang the song "Silent Night." This morning I had breakfast with a woman who had me rolling with laughter about the war over tiny baby Jesus in her home-- baby Jesus is the dog's new favorite toy and her mother chases the dog around the house shouting "Drop baby Jesus, Hank! Drop him!"

Aside the wonder and the awe of the Incarnation, I like this time of year because it is so dang hilarious. One church Christmas party that will live in infamy: picture two old ladies adorned in plaid taffeta trying to out-do one another as "hostess" for the evening. Party disintegrates into a screeching fight that ends when one woman says to the other, "Take the %#$*ing Yule Log! Just take it!"

I love church. Most of the time. Or at least a strong 60% of the time.

I have only been in one Christmas pageant in my life and I am dying to run one. I love the idea of troops of kids acting out the Christmas story, adorned in bathrobes and foil-laden gifts creatively interpreting gold, frankincense and myrrh. My grandmother used to read us grandchildren "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and it still has me in stitches every year.

Wishing you a blessed Christmas, whether you are a fierce believer in Jesus the Christ, a miffed Scrooge, a committed atheist or anything in between. Much love to you and grateful to be a fellow wayfarer on the journey!


"We shall awaken from our dullness and rise vigorously toward justice. If we fall in love with creation deeper and deeper, we will respond to its endangerment with passion."

- Hildegard of Bingen