A Great Book for Next Year

"Why Christmas Trees Aren't Perfect"

by Richard H Sheneider

Illus by Elizabeth J Miles

Abingdon Press, Nashfield

An evergreen hoping to be chosen as the queen's Christmas tree gives shelter and food to animals in the forest, giving up its aspirations of perfection in the process. Unexpectedly the tree is honored as the queen's choice.

The story itself is much more compelling than my simple summary. It's interesting and rich with multiple points of meaning and metaphor.

It manages this without being either strained with complexity or overly simplistic, at least until the last line when the meaning of the story is stated. As good stories & metaphors often are, the meaning is too rich and the possibilities for application too many to be well served by a single statement.

I became aware of this book too late to use this season, but it's on my list for next year. I also want to check on the video version The Resource Center for Churches has.

Finally, thank you Patty for keeping children's ministry in mind, for lending me your book and for making me aware of such a delightful story.

Christmas: Birth, Death or Resurrection?

I recently asked a child what we celebrate at Christmas.

I thought by this point in their life they would be well enough exposed to have the concept of Christmas as celebrating Jesus birth down.

The answer started out accurately...

It has something to do with Jesus.

Yes, what about Jesus?

When he got on the cross?

No...

When he came back?

No...

When he was born.

Yes.

It made me think that as an adult I take a lot for granted. I wonder how often I fail to realize the impact of the fact that kids don't have the years of context and experience that adults have.

Kids (and all of us) need the stories told over and over.

Sometimes kids understand more than I expect, and sometimes less. I have to remember to be clear and not to assume too much in either direction.

As concerning as the child's lack of clarity about Christmas is, in some ways I feel quite encouraged by the responses. If you're going to be wrong about what we celebrate at Christmas, I'd say this child had great "wrong"(?) answers: Jesus' death and resurrection.

Even if we have some details to sort out, we're onto something here.

Come to think of it, that statement applies pretty well to a lot of us.