Re-post: Remembering Christmas 2013

I came across this 5 year old post of mine. Thought I’d share again. 🙂

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(prepping the stars while listening to Ilaya’s fave, Peter and the Wolf)

My son watched the news about Yolanda. He saw how the storm destroyed and changed the landscape of most provinces in the south of Philippines. He saw how people, even children, were now sleeping on the streets. He saw death all over. From bodies covered by rubble to faces full of despair. It was seen all through the tube but the intensity of the tragedy was captured.  I saw a puzzled and overwhelmed look in his eyes. He looked at me and asked, “Why did God do this?”

I too was in shock that time. I was not prepared to answer his question.

 (day 2: paint and glitters!)

 (the little one enjoying the paint)

The word and concept of death however have been introduced in the fairy tales we’ve been reading. Cruelty was seen through Hansel and Gretel and Death through Brave Tin Soldier. Stories have opened a mixture of realities to the 6 and even 3 year old.  Certain words are now part of their language. One of which is death. I’m not one to edit much and the word “death” is one I’ve decided to let stories give its right to tell.

 (Our DIY felt ornaments, lovely on our tree.)

Then came the Truth that Christ died on the cross. At first, my 6 year old just couldn’t understand. I remember the first time he listened to this account during Morning Time. I didn’t explain much. I just read and let the Word sink in and be processed by his puzzled mind.

After a moment, he said, “He had to die.. for us.” 

But as familiar as he is about death, more is he with Life and the Hope that comes with it.

On the third round of reading the story of the Word, he waits uncomfortably for that chapter where Christ is crucified. Once read, he right away explains, “But He is going to live again!”

Birth, Life and Hope overshadows death.

This Christmas season, though our country is mourning and in pain because of much death and despair, our family would like to remember the star that led the wise men from the East to a small town called Bethlehem. These wise men were not even Jewish, not part of the nation who “sought” the Promised Messiah, yet they came and travelled from far, to bow down and worship the True King.

Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star rose, and we have come to worship him.”

…the star they had seen in the east guided them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! They entered the house and saw the child with his mother, Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. 

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We’d like to choose Joy; to continue worshipping in Truth even when things aren’t going our way. We’d like to hold on to Hope; to continue bowing down to the True King. Most of all, we’d like to cling on to Love, the one that sets apart Life from death and despair.

Merry Christmas!