Last night our children participated in an incredible evening of worship and carol-singing at ChristChurch Presbyterian.  Singing. Dancing. Dramatizing. Completely rocking out on the piano.  Words are inadequate -- just make plans to come next year.  

So as we are having a lovely mother-daughter time, singing carols on the way home, my girls (ages 6 and 8) tell me that they don't know the words to Silent Night.  (Although I am fairly sure that they know all the "Party in the USA" lyrics.) 

Apalled, I dutifully set to teaching them the words, some of which sound strange to their 21st century ears.  Of course, we pretty quickly come to the phrase "'round yon' virgin," which I try to handle as delicately as possible.

 "'Round yon'" means "over there."  "Virgin".......is........well....it's........ "a girl or woman who is not married."  (Right?  Who's with me on taking the high road?)

So, in the afterglow of our spiritually profound evening and in the midst of our carol meditation, my six-year-old says, "I get it.  Wonderwoman is a virgin.  But Superwoman is not a virgin because she's married to Superman." 

Exactly. 

Somehow I'm not sure this is the emphasis Austrian priest Joseph Mohr was going for when he wrote those lyrics 200 years ago. 

We're just keeping things updated 'round here.

Wonderwoman.  Pure.

Superwoman.  Not-so-pure. 

Father Mohr.  Rolling over in his grave.