On Frozen Pond

My 2 1/2 old grandson, Tristan Mark, was over yesterday. Actually I took him along to run errands and he wanted to stop at Poppa's house to see Moe (our dog). He asked to go see the fish in our backyard pond. They have gone to the bottom and are hiding among the plants. I told him we may not see any. We didn't. We stood at the pond and he listened to me explain how the fish go down for the winter but that they will be back up in a few months all set to eat again.

We then came into the house. We found our way over to the Olive Wood Nativity Set I brought back from Bethlehem, Israel, a few years ago. We looked at it. Since his baby sister is just 3 weeks old I asked him if he remembered how we had to be real careful in the hospital by washing our hands and putting the lotion on. He remembered. I told Tristan how Jesus was born outside and in a place where the ox and lambs were kept. He listened carefully to each word. He didn't talk. He just looked and listened. How we need to become like little children who do not have the ability to read. They learn by looking and listening and pondering the words they hear in their hearts. Come to the manger again and listen to the story of Jesus' Birth.