Amara's Family Night

 Every Monday night is family night at our house.  We take turns planning the evening.  Since there are 4 family members and there are generally 4 weeks in a month, everyone gets a turn to plan one per month, on their week.  This is the first Monday in December, and Amara takes the first week every month, so she was on for family night tonight.  She likes to write out her lessons and then do an activity.  Tonight was no different.  We started off singing Silent Night, I gave an opening prayer, then Amara read her lesson.  She talked about how people wonder if God is real in this world.  Then she told us that He is real and that if he wasn't then there would be no one to answer our prayers or forgive our sins.  Very true.  Then Amara pointed to the piano bench where she had piled random blankets, scarves, and toys, "I bet you're wondering why this is here.  It might not be clear, but when you see this, you'll probably guess it!"

Then she reached under the piano bench and pulled out a blanket that was rolled into a loose donut shape, "Can you guess it now?"  She asked us all with excitement twinkling in her eyes.  Lily guessed that it represented a manger.  Amara was thrilled she guessed it right.  Then she took each of the items from her pile on the piano bench and handed them out to each person, giving them a role to play in the nativity.  Lily was Mary, with a doll sleeping bag for a headdress.  Baby Jesus was represented by a teddy bear wrapped in a pillowcase.

 Stephen was handed a big grey blanket with the role of donkey.  Grandma was given a stick horse to help her play a wise man.  I was given a bright green blanket with a hoodie which I was to wear to be the star, and Amara took the scarf to play Joseph.

 The actual role play probably took exactly 1 minute and 34 seconds to reenact, and when it was all done, Amara took a mini angel from our Christmas tree and sang out in a high-pitched "LAAAAAA!"  Then it was over.  We said a prayer and had chocolate instant pudding for dessert.

It was another successful and fun family night!