2010 Living Nativity

Our community puts on an amazing "Living Nativity". This is their fourth year and from what I understand there are at least 10 different churches who collaborate to put this on. We rushed home from Stacie's house to be able to go to this Saturday. Kids and adults from the community enjoy hearing about the night of the birth of Jesus. They do a great job of making you feel like you are in the town of Bethlehem.  

Josiah and Hailey spotted baby Jesus right away. 

They got to sample unleavened bread and pieces of fish at the fish market outside.

Inside, we stopped off at the money changer's shop. She showed us real coins, including a widow's mite, that would have been used during the time of Christ. Very interesting stuff!

The wool spinner's shop. The kids got to card wool and watch it being spun into string.

Next, we went to the shop where they dyed wool and showed us pictures of the things they would have used to dye the wool with. Purple was an expensive color because there was a tiny part of shells that had purple ink in it. They would scrap it out to use for dye. Can you imagine how much time that would have taken for just enough purple for one cloke? No wonder it was considered a royal color!

One of the ladies at our church was a basket weaver. The kids want to learn weaving now.

This is a traditional Jewish home. They explained a lot of symbolism in Jewish culture.

The Potter's house gave away pieces of clay to the kids to play with.

After many other shops, we made our way around to the temple where the high priest explained about the traditional sacrifice system. It is such a great way for the kids to visually put the story of the birth of Jesus in their minds and hearts. I think it helps them understand the necessity of His coming to this earth so that we could all be saved by His mercy and grace.  I love going to this. It such a great place to reflect the Truth of the Christmas Story in a fresh way.

If you don't know Him as your personal Savior, I encourage you not to wait a minute longer. Get down on your knees this Christmas and ask the humble servant King to come into your heart and forgive your sins. As Rebecca St. James once said, "Get down on your knees before the Master, it's the only way you'll ever get on your feet!". Eternal life with Him is truly the best gift we can receive in this brief lifetime we have on this earth.

Merry Christmas! May His Truth and Love invade your hearts and homes today.

God Bless,
Jackie