TBT: Live Nativity

We have special treat for you today on TBT - a guest blogger!  The Merry Momma's friend Donna (you may remember her from this post) is here to talk about her awesome family.  Enjoy!

 

This picture is of my dad and 3 of his siblings.

My dad is the KING (training for future roles as you will see).

(Early 1950s)

 

Every year my church had a living nativity that involved the younger children.  I always wanted to play Mary, as I deemed her the star of the show.  Unfortunately, as the only blonde in my Sunday School class, I was quickly relegated to angel duty and the brunettes took turns playing Mary (or maybe it was because it would be artistically difficult to explain Mary's bifocal glasses?). 

My parents, pretty fed up with me crying about my "once an angel, always an angel" fate, decided we would put on our own nativity at home with me in my star-making role as Mary.  Afghans, sheets, and blankets became our garb, the top of our chicken shaped bread basket became my dad's crown, my less than enthusiastic older brother played Joseph, my parents became the kings, and my stuffed dog stood in as sheep/camel/donkey.  The true star of the show, baby Jesus, was played by my Cabbage Patch kid doll (the baby one, of course).  My older sister was the angel/photographer.

I would like to say this family nativity did the trick and cured my childhood Mary obsession but no.  However, it did provide a fun family photo and a memory that will always make me smile.  And for the record, I never got to play Mary at church!!!  Further proof of that claim....

Fast forward 10 years.  My church decides to do an outdoor living nativity.  See that white figure on top of the roof trying desperately to maintain outstretched arms?  Yep, yours truly.  They lassoed me around my waist with a piece of rope and attached it to a stick of lumber sticking up from the roof "just to make sure you don't lean forward and fall off".

What I have given to this role!

  

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Katy's Thoughts: Take away the packages. Take away the bows. And even take away the (wait for it...) beautiful cards that arrive in your merry mailbox...and what's left? Him. He is the reason for the season - plain and simple. And how thankful we are for that!


Cindy's Thoughts: First, I lived with Donna in college... angel, well...let's just leave that at that. ;) Just kidding Mrs. Strittmatter! Anyway...back to my comments about the pics - How awesome is a live nativity!  I love these things.   And isn't it wonderful that Donna has these pictures, and more importantly the memories that go with them of her childhood.  My husband's family's church does one every year and we all go and look at it, see old friends, gather with his home church family and really celebrate the Reason for the Season.  I have fond memories of my home church doing live nativities as well.  One year it snowed LOTS, but all the kids, animals and church members stayed outside for at least an hour watching, praying and celebrating.  Last year, we tried to take our Merry Littles to a live nativity...it didn't turn out so well...read more about that here.  Live nativities bring people together...and well, isn't that what Christmas is all about!  Thanks for sharing Donna and if you want...next time we are together, we can "play" Live Nativity with the girls and I'll let you be Mary! :)