milk & honey mamas

Contributed by Kristen

I walked today on a path swaddled in trees. Bridges cocooning water, I swayed over the earth as light sparkled like smoke between the trees. 

What is spirit, I asked my daughter, and we talked as though words could bridge our way. 

Who is Jesus? Why did he come? Does it matter? 

The questions wrap around me on the trail, blinking in the sunlight, purple and orange faces awash in mystery. 

Jesus, I ask the water, and the water rushes, and sings, and swells, and stills. 

Jesus, I ask the trees, and they reach their branches to the sky with the wisdom of many human lifetimes. 

Jesus, I ask the rocks, and they are still, and quiet, and steady. 

Jesus, I asked the breeze, winding around my face, arm around my shoulders. 

I ask, spirit moves. I ask, I ask, I ask, spirit moves. Between the rungs of the bridge, spiders weave their webs. Perfect circles, geometrical genius. Mysteries, yes. Miracles. 

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. He took the little children, the story goes, and blessed them. May his blessing sing through the generations, sing through the pain and brokenness and despair of this world, and shine through the spider webs, and the winding brooks, and the steadfast trees, and the orange flowers dotting the way. May I sing to life, spirit rising like yeast in bread, threading music to sticky strings. Weaving.

Ideas for Play

Contributed by Kristen

• Watch our video of some art depicting this beautiful story

• Make stained glass star cookies

• Read from the Book of Mormon storybook 

• Read this simple, illustrated version of the story (written for littles)

• Read the account of Jesus’ coming from the Book of Mormon 

• Watch the Book of Mormon video

• Why do you think children are so prominent in this story? 

• Act it out! Could you turn off all the lights? What would make it seem like you were hearing Jesus’ voice? How would it feel?

• What would you want to talk to Jesus about? What would you hope he could heal? 

• Consider giving your children blessings.  

• Check out these ideas for music to complement your experience of this story!

• Draw pictures of Jesus. How do you imagine Jesus to look? 

• What does this story mean to you? Share as a family!

Poetry

Compiled by Caroline

Whoever Welcomes

by Malcolm Guite

‘Welcome’, the word is always on your lips,

Each welcome warms another one inside,

An interleaving of relationships,

An open door where arms are open wide.

First welcome to the child and through the child

A welcome to the Saviour of the world

And through the Saviour’s welcome all are called

Home to the Father’s heart. Each call is curled

And nested in another, as you were

Nested and nestled in your mother’s womb,

As Mary carried One who carried her,

And we are wrapped in you, deep in the tomb,

Where you turn our rejection into welcome,

And death itself becomes our welcome home.

Artwork

Compiled by Caroline

Music

Compiled by Caroline

Check out these ideas for music to complement your experience of this story!

Did Jesus Really Live Again–Millenial Chorus

Jesus, Friend of Little Children–Keith and Kristyn Getty