The Reason for the Season

Ellie and I went to the mall today. Every now and then I take her to lunch with me as a special treat. Ellie has not been to the mall very much. We do not go to the mall very much. But I needed to get her some new jeans so off we went.
A visit to the mall is sometimes a system overload for Ellie since it's so rare. She saw a lot. With Christmas coming, everything is decorated and twinkly. We went to return some shoes and then to Old Navy to get Ellie some jeans. Ellie stayed with me, held my hand, never wandered, never got distracted... until we passed a furniture store window.
She ran over to the window and said "Look at this!" At first I thought she was going to show me a couch or chair we needed because we have been furniture shopping lately. But what had caught Ellie's eye was not Santa or reindeer or even a nice leather club chair and ottoman. No, what caught Ellie's eye was an almost life size {to her anyway} Nativity Scene. I actually almost started crying in the middle of the mall!



She was enamoured. She crouched down and was just entranced. She checked out every single figure so carefully. Then she asked to go inside.

She said a few words to Mary. I'm not sure what she said because she was whispering.


And then she started climbing over all the figures and I had to tell her to be careful. She insisted that she needed to see Jesus. And really how do you refuse a child a visit with Jesus???



As we walked away, Ellie let me know that Jesus could not be dead because when you die you have to lay on the ground with your eyes closed and your tongue hanging out. {too much exposure to dead deer???} So I had to explain that Jesus didn't die as a baby, but when he was an adult. This prompted: "Why did Jesus die?" I answered, "Um, so that you and I could live." But really that seems to fall short as an explanation to a four year old. I think I may need to get our minister, Adam, on speed dial!