Reflections on Christmas

Every family has their family traditions.  Many do the Elf on the Shelf, an elf who shows up in varying places throughout your house during the holiday season, supposedly looking out for good behavior.  It seems to me that the true meaning of Christmas is so easily lost in all the gifts and all the visits with Santa.  So, in 2009, I began using my grandmother's old 3 piece manger scene.  During the week of Christmas, Mary and Joseph showed up in the barn, out by the mailbox, all in an effort to make the journey to Bethlehem where Jesus could be born.  This year, we used a new plush manger scene.  It has the three wise men, a donkey, a camel, Mary, Joseph, a sheep and Baby Jesus.  Each day, new characters would show up in different places throughout the house.  On Christmas morning, Baby Jesus had finally made his appearance. 

So, it's Christmas morning.  I was awake before everyone else.  I savored the time to just be....before the mad rush began once Bennett and Merritt were awake.  Everything was ready.  The gifts were wrapped and placed.  Our new plush manger scene was now complete with Baby Jesus and all the others....
I hear tiny little footsteps.  It's Merritt hobbling down the hallway.  He stopped just as he entered the living room and just stared (for what seemed like at least 5 minutes straight) at the enormous pile of gifts that had appeared in the living room overnight, as if by magic.  Then the sweetest thing happened.  He did not say a word; he did not rush to open the gifts.  Instead, he turned and knelt down at the manger scene, staring at the the tiny little baby that had been added.  

Moments like these come often, I believe.  But, more often than not, we pass them by and choose not to treasure the valuable lessons our children are teaching us.  In that simple little gesture, a 16 month old had shown me what is truly important about Christmas.  Smack in the middle of what seemed to be the least Christmasie season I have ever experienced, my little boy knelt at the feet of an infant and worshipped him!  WOW!  It is simple, yet profound moments like these that Jesus is every bit as alive and well in my heart as he was on that Christmas morning some 2000 years ago when he was born and laid in a manger.  Praise God!  Be blessed!