Friday 24 December 2010

Happy Birthday Jesus


This Christmas tree and almost all the ornaments are a gift from my sister Anjali A metal Christmas tree candle holder I bought from a crafts bazaar

This Nativity scene is a family collection from my childhood. My parents collected pieces from here and there and put them all together. We have kangaroos, camels, horses a Polar bear from Anjali, drummers from India and Africa and elephants from Sri Lanka. I could have added my Russian hen and a ceramic cat too.
This wood carving is from Malawi, a gift from our missionary friends.

Anjali and Prem brought this for us from Nigeria. Its sculpted from sandstone.

My blog friend Holly sent me this tiniest set from TX. Its so cute, fits into a matchbox.
We talk about the Incarnation at Christmastime. Incarnation means ' taking flesh' in Latin.
God 'took flesh ' and became the human Jesus.
We say it so glibly.
But the idea is so impossible.
God became flesh?
Its like trying to fit a battleship into a bathtub.
Making a skyscraper fit into a dollhouse.
A field of wheat crammed into a cereal box.
More than that , it is like making blue paint out of the blue sky.
We can 't fathom such things.
In the same way we cannot imagine the God of the universe becoming a baby.
Its so odd. After all the whole point was that God wanted to rescue us.
But a baby can 't rescue anyone.
Babies need rescuing themselves.
Maybe because God couldn 't make Himself greater to impress us , He made Himself smaller to attract us.
And the Christmas story is attractive.
In all history there is nothing like it.In all the cities of the world you will see great monuments built in the memory of outstanding men and women. Bit have you ever seen the statue of a famous person as an infant?
You would never see George Washington or Gandhi portrayed in a stroller.
That would be silly.
But it is not silly to honor the Lord of the universe as a baby because this child signifies the Incarnation.
That God took on flesh is amazing
like an oil well fitting into an oilcan,
or a mountain squeezing into a molehill.
God became flesh-
(adapted from Joni' s More precious than Silver)

9 Fertilize my soul:

monsoon dreams said...

Merry Xmas,dearest!!
I'm here with two of my good friendshan 21 yrs (pre university friends,know them for more than 20 yrs!) and their families :-)

Wishing you a wonderful day,Amrita!!

Gerry said...

Enjoyed your photos of your Christmas displays and the meaning of the Holy Infant.

Simply Shelley said...

What wonderful Christmas decorations...love your childhood Nativity...just precious...your tree is beautiful....Have a very blessed Christmas day..to you and your sweet mama.....Shelley

Nadwrażliwiec said...

Jesus wasn't similar to any religious and political imagination of Messiah. If God Father wanted His Son was born in palace or in rich house - he would do it. Jesus could come on the Earth like adult man from the sky. But He was born like common baby, in poor family. It is the most odd fact in the world.
You have beautiful decorations - they are so original.
So, once again... Merry Christmas! :)

Nadwrażliwiec said...

I forget about important question to You: is there possible to send some seeds of vegetables to India? In some Polish markets after New Year there are really cheap - they are packed in little paper bags. After my return to home from the village (I'm going to the village after Christmas) I can ask in the post office, but I think that they could be send as common letter.

David C Brown said...

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good pleasure in men."

Hold my hand: a social worker's blog said...

Merry Christmas, dear Amrita!!!

Your post is beautiful, and you are right, "this child signifies the incarnation."

((((Hugs & Love to you and your mom))))

Doris

Nancy said...

I hope you had a blessed Christmas Amrita.....you are loved.

Mel Avila Alarilla said...

Yes, Happy Birthday Jesus. Being born a baby was God's display of His unquestionable humility in spite of all His greatness and grandeur as God. The dissertation of the spectacle of His birth was most inspiring and intuitive indeed. Thanks for the post. God bless you all always.