A story to be told, not read

The holidays are richer when stories are shared. Last night I sat with my son and watched the animated classic holiday show about baby new year. Rudolph, Ben Franklin, a caveman, 1023 (a armored knight), and a whale seek to rescue baby new year from the clutches of Eon the vulture. Every Christmas I find myself watching this fictional story, however far fetched it might be. Whether it be frosty the snowman, rudolph, or story of Santa, the stories enrich the experience of people seeking for meaning.

I've never read the Rudolph story in a book. I've never read the story of Santa's workshop in a book. The stories are passed down to me and others verbally and visually. I tried to read a Sesame Street book to Ethan and while an entertaining book, it's impact is lessened because the muppets are pictures on a page, not alive on the screen.

The gospel lesson for tomorrow of the birth of Jesus needs told and lived, not simply read from a book. It is a true story passed down over a period of a couple thousand years, remaining constant and pushing us to embrace God's goodness and grace. It's better told person to person, the way it was originally told before recorded in the gospel. May you be a story-teller this Christmas season and sink yourself deeply into the story of Christ in 2006.