By Mark Weyermuller –
Over the past few years, I have taken hundreds of photos of nativity scenes in the Chicago area. Many of these fun and creative displays perhaps show the true meaning of Christmas. I have shared these with friends and posted many on social media. I am known to take photos with politicians, celebrities, and good friends, but this is my favorite picture of the year with a live camel, which was part of an nativity church service. Can you see we are both smiling?
One on my favorites every year is the live nativity children's service at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wilmette. This year, it included shepherds, angels, four real sheep, a stubborn donkey, one 1500-pound camel and a live Baby Jesus. Getting the 8-foot high foot tall camel in the narrow church door was mini-Christmas miracle.
Perhaps this famous television cartoon classic sums it up well.
Linus does an excellent job of explaining the "true" meaning of this day in the 51 year classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas." Linus takes the stage to give a speech quoting Luke 2:8-14 starting with "Fear not!", as he drops his blanket. (He had never let go of his blanket in the TV series) He continued the verse, "For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."
I still get chills when I see this clip or hear that verse.
Hope you had a Merry Christmas and will have a Happy New Year.
Mark Weyermuller is a small business person, real estate professional, and conservative activist in Chicago. He is a citizen journalist and regular contributor to Illinois Review. Mark can be heard weekly on the radio in a "man on the street segment" at 10:31pm as a regular guest on the Stephanie Trussell Show heard Sunday nights 9pm-midnight on WLS 890-AM.
