The Christmas celebrations are fading into the past, but the Ryan household are still trying to retain some of the wonder of the season and I’m pleased to say that the children are still marvelling over how lucky and loved they are due to presents received from others.

The celebrations of the last few days have memories I wish to record and remember:

My humorous eldest wrapping up an apple in a MacDonald’s Big Mac box and upon my quizzical look telling me it was the Apple Mac that I so covet! He thinks he is so funny!

Seeing family members we don’t see enough of.

Wonder that the simplest presents, like 25p strecthy people from Hawkins Bazaar, can provide endless hours of fun.

Seeing the enjoyment on peoples faces as they open presents and discover what is hidden beneath the wrapping.

Watching Daddy Cool last night at The Shaftesbury Theatre as a group of 16 family members – a cool joint present!

Thanks to Sarah’s great present to me I can now have freshly ground coffee whenever I like due to a nice shiny bean grinder.

We say that Christmas is over.
This year, though, I have been thinking a lot about the incarnation.
Christmas is never over.
The Advent-ure of ‘God in Flesh’ is always with us.
As transformed children of God we can keep the excitement!

Tom and I watched The Nativity today.

It was a well made film with lots of thought invested in the characters that we actually know little about.
I was particularly struck by a theme of fear operating in the background:
the fear of Herod losing his throne
the fear of Mary’s parents that she would be stoned for being unmarried and pregnant
the fear of Mary for her task
the fear of Joseph with ‘will I ever be able to teach him anything?’
the fear of Mary and Joseph as they look for a place to stay in Bethlehem.

I wondered of God was ever afraid that this might not work?

I was also struck by the simple faith of Mary and Joseph, the courage they displayed, and the way that these two learnt about each other on their journey to Bethlehem as they came to grips with what was happening. There is a poignant moment in the film when both Mary and Joseph share their fears with each other. It’s then that we are reminded that these are just kids. Kids chosen for an amazing task.

I remember hearing a few times that Jesus took a real risk investing in 11 shady characters called the disciples. There was no plan B with the spreading of the gospel. That may have been a risk.

But the real risk was in the incarnation.
God making himself vulnerable, at the mercy of a young girl and man who would need to care for him until he could care for himself.
There was no plan B.
What if they were not up to it?
What if they could not cope?
What if they decided it was all too much?

This was the real risk.
It’s amazing to think of.

God in the flesh.
An insignificant start for the most significant baby ever born.
The King of all born for all.
Divine born ordinarily to save the ordinary.
It’s an unbelievable thought!
Unbelievable and true!