As I said the other day, we are preparing our home for
Christmas in a big way. There is much
excitement in the house as well because our new grandson, Gideon, is coming for
his first visit. The tree is up, lights
adore the outside of the home, a few gifts are under the tree, and although
Gideon is not on solid foods yet, I am getting ready to do the holiday all-things-chocolate
baking. In addition, the extended family
is coming in for the big visit as well.
However, with all the commercial Christmas doings going on
in my home, I want to begin teaching Gideon the true meaning of the
season. I want him to know that it is
not about the gifts and the decorations.
I want him to know that Christmas should be celebrated all year because
the birth of Jesus long ago in a manger.
I remember as a little girl that we had a very special
nativity given to us by a relative. Each
year Mom would unpack this special treasure and place it in a prominent place
in our home. The manger was actually a
music box. My brother and I would take
turns winding the knob in order to hear the carol “Away in a Manger.” As a
family we would sit and listen to the Christmas story read from the Bible. We decided in our later years to not place
baby Jesus in the manger until Christmas Eve night, but we always turned the
knob to hear one of our favorite carols.
This year is a little different. Mom is celebrating Christmas with her Savior. Dad now resides in a nursing home. Our manger set is packed away somewhere at
our parents home. However, one day soon
I plan to make the trip back home to retrieve this special treasure.
Although we do not have the manger set with us this year, we
do have our Savior. He is not in
hiding. He is alive and well. When my sweet grandson wakes in the early
hours of the morning, I plan to rock our special treasure from God and softly sing
“Away in a Manger” and tell him of the true meaning of Christmas.
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