Boy like me, Man like you

So, Jesus. You're from earth?

Yeah, but, you know; I'm originally from heaven.

Nope. Jesus wasn't like that. He was one of us. You know, it's not even like Jesus came over one day to shoot a few hoops to make us THINK he was one of us; he WAS one of us. Jesus didn't have to kiss babies or have his own family to show that he was down-to-earth; Jesus was from Hicktown, Galilee.

I started thinking about this when I was reading Hebrews 2 this week. I've always thought: 'Why do we talk about Psalm 8 and refer to ourselves' (What is man, that God is mindful of him, or the son of man, that God cares for him?); 'but then the writer of Hebrews uses Psalm 8 to refer to Christ?' (God has crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.)

During Monday's reading God opened my eyes and I understood: this passage works because Jesus WAS a human being. Yes, God notices the human race and cares for us. And by honoring Christ in verses 7-8 God is in effect honoring or giving special attention to the entire human race, because Jesus came from us.

Of course I knew that's what Hebrews 2 was getting at and of course I've believed in the incarnation since I was 2. But this is a fresh look. In the great Super Bowl of the Universe, Jesus won and he is, in essence, from my hometown.

Those thoughts flashed through my mind during a hurried Bible reading Monday morning. I got to choir practice Monday night and God had incredibly planned for me to sing and meditate about God's provision for our race through the incarnation. Who could say it better than the Apostle Paul and then hammer into my system better than Handel and a good choir?

Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

By. man.

Books about snow that you should read to your child.

I'm very interested in reading to children, although I hope I don't overstep my bounds being the music specialist in my elementary school. I slip literature in whenever I can. Here are two snow-themed books that you should read to your children.

Snowflake Bentley tells the story about Wilson A. Bentley, the first person to ever photograph a single snow crystal. The story blends biography with storytelling well and although I think it might be most fitting for 2nd-3rd grade I was even able to interest my preschoolers with it for a few minutes. The artistic storytelling is enhanced by great artwork and pictures of snow crystals.

My mom read Treasures in the Snow to me. Patricia St. John sets her story about children and forgiveness in Switzerland. A small war of revenge between two children, Annette and Lucien, turns almost deadly when Annette's younger brother Dani gets in a life-threatening accident that is Lucien's fault. The concepts of guilt, forgiveness, and reconciliation come alive.

You can read the original 'chapter book' or, if you have a Sunday School class or teach very young children you can get the visual version. The third grade teachers at my school are reading the original version right now.