advent and the story

the time of year we meet every nigh as a family, just us, no community people for a moment of family gathering. it has been a bit of a rough switch to family only yesterday after having had dinner around the big table. the preteen got stuck talking and just would not come, while we waited..... one teenager was nagging about the hard chair, the other felt like there was no harmony around the advents table, so what do you do?
be still, we were quiet and let a few moments pass. we gave each one a turn to say something and were still for one more moment. a discussion about what to sing together was next, it was difficult, though it singing helped to bring us together to enjoy each ones voice, to be family. it got better from that point on, and the story has been enjoyed by all. even as it is a picture book, a very beautiful one and the story of "how the snake crusher brings us back to the garden" is so bluntly and straight forward it is a wonderful way of telling and enjoying it's illustrations.
and at the end, the gingerbread people were devoured by all and some really personal and uplifting, even fun discussions were following.

it's a blessed time, to sit together and in the light of advent.