Hey! Unto you a child is born!

If you haven't ever read "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" by Barbara Robinson, I highly recommend it.  It has become one of my favorite stories to read around Christmas.  I had never read it to my kids until today.  It was today's Advent activity.  I fell in love with this story a few years back when a speaker at my MOPS group told the story.  I was completely enraptured as she was telling the story, reciting from memory and acting the parts of the characters.  If I remember correctly, it was a slightly abbreviated version of the story but she caught every feeling and emotion as well as the personalities of the characters.  It was so good.  As soon as I could, I asked my Mom if she had the book in her library.  I just wanted to read the whole thing.  It didn't take long to read because it is a very short story, only about 128 pages. 

The girls were very excited to hear the story.  I put dinner in the over and we sat down to read the book.  Adrianna lost interest because she said it was too long but Ava loved it and took over reading for a little bit while I finished up dinner.  We took a break to eat then jumped right back in.  Aaron was even listening in as we were reading (I think he liked it, too).  It's a reminder of so many things.  The number one thing is that Jesus was born for us.  Also, you may know the Christmas story because you grew up hearing it and hear it every year but so many people have never heard it at all.  They don't know who Mary and Joseph were and why they couldn't find a place to stay, who would make a pregnant lady sleep in a barn, or who the Wise Men were and why in the word would they bring perfume and oil to a baby as gifts.  It's such a great story and I get emotional up every time I come to the end of the book - that's my favorite part.  I made Adrianna come back in the room to listen to the last part, which she loved.  I was trying hard not to cry as I was reading it and had to clear my throat a few times.  I don't think the girls caught on to that.  But, I can just imagine a scruffy little kid that all the kids are scared of, dressed as an Angel standing up to tell our congregation "Hey!  Unto you a child is born!"