I think my favorite tradition of the Christmas season is stockings and I wrote a lot about that already earlier this week. So, I thought I’d share about my favorite tradition growing up.
I grew up in a pretty big church in the DFW metroplex and each year we did a Christmas pageant. My dad sang in the choir and my mom was always one of the side stage managers. Through the years my sister and I were in many different kid roles. It seemed that there was a hierarchy of roles as you went through the years. We had lots of “pageant moms” and they would let us tag along as kids in the village and had snacks in their market baskets for us. Whether they were showing fabric or fruits, we always stayed close and walked, and sang, along with them.
We knew all the music. My dad would listen to it on the cassette player in our car and we would hear it all fall, so we knew it all.
As we got older, we got to be part of the procession with the three
The pageant was so fun. Our church did a great job as they acted out and told the story of the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ. I think it’s one of the reasons I look at the words of scripture the way I do. I try to think about what it was like when the words were written. Who the characters are in each story. What baggage they bring, and life experiences. I like to think about what it would be like to step into their town at that time.
For the story of the “manger,” it was a people waiting in great anticipation, yet
We give them a hard time. “Oh shame” to the people of Jesus’ time. They had no idea the gift they were given. They had no idea how great it must have been to hear His words live in the amphitheater or on a boat or in a garden. Yet, we have those same words and we are not always moved by them either. “Oh shame” on the people for not making room for Jesus. Guess what, that was the plan. A quiet and scared teenager had traveled on the rickety back of a donkey all day, escorted by her soon to be husband who was protecting their reputation. They weren’t looking for an audience or an entourage, they were looking for a humble place to follow in the next step of obedience as they had each day for the last nine months. Dare I even say the last 14+ years of their life. After all, they had been doing something right to “find God’s favor.”
Those experiences of the pageant are many of the “movie scenes” that play in my head when I read the words of the Bible. I’m that kind of learner. I need to enter the story, meet the people, look around at their circumstances and imagine the scene.
It was a really powerful and special time in my life. While they don’t do that anymore and we don’t live close I still need a little church musical experience to set me in the Christmas mood. Whether it’s Festival of Christmas at Ouachita, the Gift of Christmas at Prestonwood or a local church musical it is just always the thing that really puts me in the Christmas mood. Heck sometimes a kids show even does the trick. My senses (LINK) need to see and hear at the same time for it to click.
Have you been reading along with all the topics for the #bigpittstopADVENT daily writing topics? If you’ve written along with us, share a link below. Oh, and there is always plenty of time to catch up. Go back to the main page, subscribe on the right panel to have my posts emailed to you, or follow my blog Facebook page where a link immediately drops anytime I have a new blog post.
- December 1 – What is Advent
- December 2 – Nativity
- December 3 – Lights
- December 4 – Fruitcake
- December 5 – Ornaments
- December 6 – Cards
- December 7 – Smell
- December 8 – Office Party
- December 9 – Gift Exchange
- December 10 – Family Pictures
- December 11 – Stocking Stuffers
- December 12 – Party Food
- December 13 – Favorite Tradition
- December 14 – It’s Christmas when…
- December 15 – Christmas Wear
- December 16 – Christmas Cookie
- December 17 – Christmas Carol/Music
- December 18 – Christmas Charity
- December 19 – Community Traditions
- December 20 – Bah-Humbug
- December 21 – Grown-up Christmas List
- December 22 – Elf on the Shelf
- December 23 – Nostalgia
- December 24 – Christmas Eve
- December 25 – Christmas Day – How will you spend the big day – where will you be? Who will you be with? What’s on your mind?
- December 26 – Dreams for the Year Ahead
