The Rexburg Review: Volume IX, issue x, December 2013 (Part Two)

While Leopards Watched Their Flocks By Night

For part of the Ward Christmas Shindig, the kids got to participate in a live Nativity. Eve told us that she was the “Star” of the show (meaning that she actually WAS the star of the show.) Marie was a little angel (which is always true of that cherubic girl), and Caleb was the coolest wise man we had ever witnessed. After they were assigned their parts in Primary, Peter excitedly told us that he was a “Leopard.” We couldn’t figure that one out, so we scanned our memories for details from the Biblical rendition. Perhaps they were telling other New Testament stories along with the Nativity story?

“Peter, are you a LEPER?”

“No. . . a LEOPARD!”

We imagined the utter pandemonium in that creature-laden crèche--poor little bleating sheep shishkebabs running around the manger; cows and donkeys kicking the wisemen in the head; and Mary forgetting to keep “all things in her heart” and shrieking, grabbing the baby and making a mad dash for the Inn while Joseph uses his carpenter’s tools to fight off the big cat. Not to be irreverent, but it made for a funny picture.

Finally, as I thought of all of the more mainstream roles in the traditional Nativity, I realized that one of them rhymed with leopard. “Peter, do you mean shepherd?”

He laughed his wonderfully rich laugh and said, “Oh! I thought they were saying leopard! Yeah. I must be a shepherd.”

Whoa Christmas Tree

2013’s December was as stressful as any that we’ve had so far, so our annual Family Home Evening trip to pick out our fresh pine was slightly delayed. By the time we packed up the kids and drove out to our favorite little Idaho Nursery the second week of December, we were greeted by dark shop and a sad sign that read “Sorry! All out of trees!” We had a despairing carful of elves until we remembered that they sell fresh trees at the grocery store. Our little tree looked like it was Charlie Brown’s tree’s second cousin, but it had a lot of heart. And we saved enough money on the tree to buy accessories for a hot chocolate bar when we got home, so the kids didn’t mind too much. Also, the tree was tiny enough to cram in the car with the kids so we didn’t have to strap it to the roof (and they were obviously thrilled to have it be a passenger with them).