Journey To Bethlehem

Our Journey to Bethlehem is over.

Steve shaved his beard :-)

He looks 20 years younger  this morning than he did last night.

Steve at the manger

He and Christina are an excellent team. They were very effective communicators - driving home the whole point, always making sure the message was central and not lost in the sights and sounds of the hubbub of Bethlehem. I spent a fair amount of time at the stable. I had several lovely girls singing "Mary Did You Know?" in shifts.... Vanessa, Brianna, Shiana, Julia, Natalie, Enjoli, Emily, Hannah, Trista and Kasey, Angela and Emily. There is something about the scene and when the girls began to sing the tears flowed - hearts were touched. When the guides would remind them who Jesus is and why He came - His purpose in their lives today.

I didn't have as big a job this year. Someone else was in charge of the music in the sanctuary and it made my life less stressful :-) though, I have some pretty strong feelings about how things should be done. (I'm trying not to be a control freak!) My concern being that we are not there to entertain but to share the message of Christ and music can go either way...  Actually, it takes an enormous amount of effort to to keep the focus in the right direction when you are talking 20 hours of music and it's not always possible to mold  that when you are bringing in groups...  I know other people have concerns about Bethlehem and the "acting".... however, if those people were sitting at home watching a movie - be it Little House on the Prairie or The Matthew Videos then ......????  I too, want to be absolutely and honestly sure that we are not trivializing the Holy Scriptures. Our witness must representative of the Christ....

I enjoyed mingling with the people. I am blessed by talking and sharing and getting to know the people of our town, our sister churches and working side by side with people I don't normally rub shoulders with. This was my joy and blessing!

Oh, and I ate cookies... Enough to last me through the entire Christmas season! I don't want to see another cookie. Those gals made eight thousand of them and there was an amazing variety!!! I believe we served about four thousand people.

Lily the camel is now a year and half old. She is as friendly as a golden retriever! Such an interesting creature.

For some in our town - this may be the only glimpse of the Christ child they see this year. May that that glimpse be the seed planted towards a longing for the connection to their Savior and Friend.