Yesterday I talked about the smorgesbord of symbols in Advent - today I have been slowed to an annoying crawl by a cold - a smorgesbord of germs with four children!!
This evening we went to a school concert. Although it was the band music concert they inserted a play so that the band could play along - sort of movie music for sixth graders. The story was unlikely and grating - although we all enjoyed hearing our offspring blasting out the music on trumpets and flutes.
Kris was sitting next to me and I found myself missing the nativity plays of my childhood - these, of course, are not possible in non-religious state education in the USA. I whispered - this is much easier when you have a real story to tell.
Later I asked that he remind me that however bad a school nativity play might be in the future it could not be as contrived as the sleep walking old lady who ate the award winning hot cross buns of the french chef. But they all lived happily ever after.
But then the story of Jesus is not contrived - it is real. And whilst it is easy to be cynical about the forgotten lines and shyness of children reciting it - it is an entry point for them to a much bigger adventure and we should be grateful for that.
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