Happy Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is here at last - a time for family, tradition and celebration! I can't wait for our candlelight service tonight. It's beautiful. Meaningful. Simple.

And long last, here is my main nativity. This was a gift from our dear friends, Larry and Dee, for our wedding. It's really something. In a simple way. It's a Fontanini, and has the whole village capability. What's also so awesome is each piece is handmade of wood so they don't break! And, each figurine comes with a fictional stroy card to create a story line of what might have been happening in the Bethlehem that day. We have the stable and village people. Here, take a look:

The Stable Scene:
I can't wait for baby Jesus to be born tonight!!!

Larry & Dee got us this little lady the year I was pregnant with Javier.

And a "ho ho ho" from Javi:

And now, something I read this morning and cried.

Twenty-five Questions for Mary

by Max Lucada, "God Came Near"

1. What was it like watching him pray?
2. How did he respond when he saw other kids giggling during the service at synagogue?
3. When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood?
4. Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world?
5. When he saw a lamb being led to slaughter, did he act differently?
6. Did you ever see him with a distant look on his face as if he were listening to someone you couldn't hear?
7. How did he act at funerals?
8. Did the thought ever occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof?
9. Did you ever try to count the stars with him...and succeed?
10. Did he ever come home with a black eye?
11. How did he act when he got his first haircut?
12. Did he have any friends by the name of Judas?
13. Did he do well in school?
14. Did you ever scold him?
15. Did he ever have to ask a question about Scripture?
16. What do you think he thought when he saw a prostitute offering to the highest bidder the body he made?
17. Did he ever get angry when someone was dishonest with him?
18. Did you ever catch him pensively looking at the flesh on his own arm while holding a clod of dirt?
19. Did he ever wake up afraid?
20. Who was his best friend?
21. When someone referred to Satan, how did he act?
22. Did you ever accidently call him Father?
23. What did he and cousin John talk about as kids?
24. Did his other brothers and sisters understand what was happening?
25. Did you ever think, That's God eating my soup?

Blessings, my friends, family and readers. Merry Christmas!