Things Pondered

I finally got all my Christmas decorations up yesterday. I know, I know some people have had theirs up for a month. Still need to do a little more work to my trees, but that is not what this post is about. Those who have been to my house know that at Christmas time you will find a lot of Nativities. A LOT! The first Christmas of our married life my sweet man bought me my very first one. Does anyone remember Wicks and Sticks in the mall? That is where my first nativity came from. He spent what was a small fortune on it at the time. Funny, as I was dragging out box after box of decorations I remembered how we had hardly any decorations that first Christmas. I collected pine cones and shellacked them and hot glued bows to the end of them and hung on our tree. It was beautiful in its sparseness. I had no idea how much this nativity would affect me.

I was not saved that first Christmas of our marriage. I had walked the aisle way back in my pre-teen years at church camp. More out of fear of going to hell and being the only person left in the pew than by a conviction to receive Christ. I had grown up in church. Knew all the Bible stories one should know, all the hymns - loved the hymns -all the right "church" things a good church going girl should know. Did I believe in God - well of course I did. But,  did I believe Him? Did I believe that:

Luke 2:11-12

"Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you (emphasis mine); He is Christ the Lord.

This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

I do now. So you see, now when I gaze around my house and see the baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, I marvel and am humbled to my core that the Creator of the universe, the One who set the earth on its axis, who parted the waters from the firmament, CHOSE to come to earth wrapped in flesh to live just so He could die, just so I can live for eternity with Him. Oh what a Savior!

Sweet man has bought me one every year since. Some extravagant, some not so much. This is my new one for this year. It is hand painted and absolutely breathtaking. I can't quit staring at it.

Gorgeous, isn't it? I wonder if that is what the shepherds thought as the whole sky lit up and their ears were blessed with a heavenly chorus of angels announcing a departure from heaven but an entrance to earth. I have this crazy notion that when we get to heaven we will be able to check out DRM's. Bear with me here!  Divinely Recorded Moments. As I read some stories in my bible my imagination runs rampant with the movie in my head of what it all was like. I so, so hope that God allows us to see on the biggest flat screen ever - the firmament - with special effects that we can't comprehend- the real thing as it happened. Some DRM's I think I can forego , but some - oh I can't wait to see what those shepherds saw and hear what they heard! More than I can bear to think about.

This year I have a nativity tree. I have many nativity ornaments and that is all that is on this particular tree. I am not done with it but I love it so much already. This nativity was my mother-in-loves for many years and she passed it on to me a few years back. It is at the base of the nativity tree. I treasure it so much.

This is my mantel. No nativity but isn't it pretty?!

Another of my favorites. Jim Shore is a talented craftsman.

I shouldn't have put this on here because it isn't done but I couldn't help myself.

My nativity's give me perspective on what this season is about. They calm me, soothe me, and remind me of what Luke 2:17 tells me - "When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child."

What about you? Have you met Jesus yet? If so, tell others. Tell them your experience with Him. Tell them what the Bible says about Him - He is the Savior, Christ the Lord. And He has been born to YOU!

O' Come Let Us adore Him!!!

Blessings,
Michelle