Advent thoughts #2
When my son was little, as in K-5, I used to hang a flannelgraph "journey to Bethlehem" on the wall of the kitchen. It was about a yard long, and the picture drawn on it consisted of a hilly, somewhat barren landscape. The figures of Joseph and Mary and the donkey were to be moved closer to Bethlehem as the month progressed. On the 24th or 25th of December, the stall and animals and shepherds and angel all appeared at the bottom--and of course, so did the baby Jesus. The story was complete at that points, and of course, the flannelgraph was taken down.
I also was given early in my marraige, by my sister-in-law who was into ceramics at the time, a set of nativity figures in white porcelain. They are long and slender and reminiscent of the figures at Chartres Cathedral. It's time to take them out again, although placement is hard now in my house.
I am thankful for these physical reminders, and also that my son was exposed to the old faithful flannelgraph in this day of electronic wizardry. He also learned to sing out of a hymnal at the Presbyterian church, and he was taught that one should not attend church in flip flops, shorts, and a T-shirt. The tangible reminders of the nativity teach us taht Christmas, and thus Christianity, is a faith, a belief system, of embodiedness, corporeality, and not one of dualistic superiority. We are to enjoy the holiday and the faith with all our senses--the music, the color, the tastes, the smells (although because of my Kallman's syndrome, I don't get that one), and touch, especially the touch of humans.
I also was given early in my marraige, by my sister-in-law who was into ceramics at the time, a set of nativity figures in white porcelain. They are long and slender and reminiscent of the figures at Chartres Cathedral. It's time to take them out again, although placement is hard now in my house.
I am thankful for these physical reminders, and also that my son was exposed to the old faithful flannelgraph in this day of electronic wizardry. He also learned to sing out of a hymnal at the Presbyterian church, and he was taught that one should not attend church in flip flops, shorts, and a T-shirt. The tangible reminders of the nativity teach us taht Christmas, and thus Christianity, is a faith, a belief system, of embodiedness, corporeality, and not one of dualistic superiority. We are to enjoy the holiday and the faith with all our senses--the music, the color, the tastes, the smells (although because of my Kallman's syndrome, I don't get that one), and touch, especially the touch of humans.
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