On the 1st day of Christmas we went back to Bethlehem

About a week before Christmas we attended a somewhat local Church's reenactment of life in Bethlehem the night Jesus was born. It was super cold (34 degrees actual temperature and then there was the wind!) but the event was well worth enduring the cold.

The kids got to pet camels and chicken. There were food samplings of fresh baked bread, fruits, vegetables, nuts and dried fruit. And the kids got to pay taxes to the Roman guards.
Did I mention it was really cold? I was a bit worried about Jill being exposed to that cold so I bundled her up in my coat. I looked a little bizarre and worried about whether she could breathe at times but she was snugly warm the whole time.
The night ended with the Living Nativity. Actually it ended around the corner with a reenactment of the Crucifixion. With declarations of prophesy, they did a nice job of completing the story. Jason asked why Jesus had to die (it was very intense seeing actual people live up on the crosses). And before I could answer he said, was that so he could come back to life for us? Yes, Jesus came to earth a baby in the manger and lived a perfect life. He died on the cross, a sacrificial lamb, for our sins so that we may have eternal life. All of this because the Creator of the Universe loves each and every one of us. I pray you know His Love this Christmas and always!