Really ?

"It is stupid", the Chinese student said after I finished telling them the Christmas story. Every year, I introduce the students to the Christmas story and every year as I begin to explain the details about Mary being a virgin, the angels and him being God...I see them look down as if they are embarrassed that in my seeming intelligence I would believe such a story. It is like telling them that Santa is real and reindeer really do know how to fly.

I catch myself often saying out-loud in an audible prayer, " I sure hope this is all real". I don't know if any of you struggle with the strangeness of THIS story. If we have been raised with the reality of story, it isn't that strange  nor 'stupid' . However,  every year as I sit down to introduce 3-6 new students to this story I walk away thinking how strange it must sound to their ears. I talk in jest about Santa Claus but in holy respect about a Baby born in a manger who is God, to a virgin, announced by angels in a small town in Israel.

It is that time of year when the sun rises as I drive to school. What is so amazing with our sunrises is that in a blaze of glory our magnificent mountains our outlined in orange, yellow and red.
                                                                                                             I gauge if

it is a picture worthy morning that I need to drive out of town or a glory in the moment and not worry about the hash tags and 'like' posts. 

The outline of our familiar mountains when set against the rising of the sun, this time of year makes all that is familiar...note worthy. 

That is what happens every year when I tell the familiar story against the back drop of unbelief and in-credulousness. What was a familiar story takes on a beautiful significance.  I begin to understand that maybe what they said to each other back then was as hard to believe as it is today.

 "So, why can't you talk? You said that to the angel...really Zechariah, Gabriel? really?

              "Really, I'm old AND I'm pregnant!"

                                               "No, his name really will be John."

                

                       "Really, Joseph, I haven't been with anyone, an angel told me". 

'Yes, she is pregnant, no he is not mine, no I am not divorcing her, really..I am not. Angel told me."

                                     "REALLY, we have to go to BETHLEHEM right NOW!"

          "You are kidding, NO room, really not one?"

                             "Really, Mary, angels told us to come while we were out there, a whole bunch of them...singing, lots of them..."

                           "Yes, we really did come from far far away, following a star."       

                                      "Mary, we really need to go to Egypt, NOW...Angel told me, HURRY!

Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and His name shall be called Emmanuel...

With us.... really.