Christmas mice

Three years ago I posted that a group in the church had painted 150 stones with the baby Jesus which had then been hidden around the villages of Histon and Impington.  On the last day of school the children were told about these hidden stones and over the next days of their holiday they ferreted under hedges, behind benches, and beside trees in public spaces.  Once they found one they brought it to the church and were given a story book about Christmas with an invitation to a Christmas service with their parents.   It was a stunningly imaginative idea which worked really well.

Well, yesterday Carol and I joined a small group who spent lunch-time after church painting on 150 beautiful white flat round stones. Some church members had brought them back legally from their holiday abroad.  This time we had to paint mice.  A couple of carefully painted examples had been prepared. To simplify the process we were told to think of one sausage for the body and two potatoes for the ears.  Then with brown and pink acrylic paint we set to work.  The range of mice shapes was spectacular.  Some covered the front of the stones with tails encircling the back. Others showed exquisite detail with whiskers and noses all in the right place.

Mice and the Christmas story?  You didn't know?  Nor did I. This year children have to come to church to be given a book about the mouse in the stable when Jesus was born. Certainly different! Let's pray it makes connections for the best reason.