Away in a Manger

One of my Christmas highlights is quietly observing the girls play with the nativity set - how precious to watch their interpretations of the Christmas Story. This year, however, I have been quite puzzled. Somehow, Captain Hook, Elmo, Swiper, a cat ornament and various princess dolls have made their way into the story. My perfectionist mom instinct is to correct them and redirect them to the precious birth of Christ . . . this morning, instead of jumping in, I quieted my heart and really listened . . . and wouldn't you know, I learned something. They have it figured out - what was the reality of the Christmas story? A strange combination of characters in an odd arrangement thrown together out of divine design - an inn keeper full of tenants but open to sharing what he had, a young mother about to give birth as an angel told her she would, a young husband who had not yet consecrated his marriage bravely accepting his wife's situation as divine design, a group of poor shepherds afraid then amazed at an angel sighting and a pull to leave their job and find a baby . . . I guess, when I really put it together in the rustic way that it truly happened, a few strange additions to the Marsh Girls story is not so out of place after all as I watch the girls bring them all to the manger scene to adore the new baby boy . . .