While we always decorate the interior of our home for Christmas, we have rarely done much to decorate the outdoor portion. In contrast, our neighborhood boosts the usage of our local utilities by atleast a kazillion dollars during the latter part of November and December.
In their desire to get in on the festivities my sweet children made their own miniature outdoor nativity set tonight. (Mary Lee at Into the Abyss has posted photos on her blog) It's very "handmade" and ordinary, nothing flashy at all in a neighborhood full of incredible lights and decorations. It sits on the ground barely visable. If you didn't know it was there you'd miss it. Sound familiar ? The people, including Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and wisemen are all shaped like crosses as that's how construction paper arms work. Here's my honest unredeemed thought process. I was a little embarassed because it looked so childish, it was unpolished, and I wanted something not "like" the neighbors, but I did have something more appealing in mind, certainly something bigger. I have so much to learn in motherhood. Fortunately I knew better than to say something like that to Bethany and Daniel, and held my thoughts to myself.
There was a lesson in this for me....again. I realized there was something to all of this. Jesus: His ordinary and almost unnoticeable birth, His humble beginnings, His cross, the dying daily we are called to embrace as Christians. Missed by many because of His lowly origin. I wonder, am I the only one who needs to learn this lesson? While I do desire beauty, and love to see all of the bright lights and lavish decorations we enjoy in this season of His birth, may I desire the humble King most of all. May I be willing to embrace what He embraced: a cross. May I not resist humility. Though I am a homeschooling mother, I am being heart-schooled through the innocent examples of my own children. With each word I've written I have been taught. I can't wait to see that beautiful nativity in the morning with my heart-eyes on.
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7 comments:
Wow, what a wonderful lesson to be learned here! You will be posting pictures?
Pictures tomorrow, for sure!
A little child will lead them and unless we become like these little ones. Constantly they and HE teach us. Thank goodness HE does! Constantly molding and shaping us.
Susan
Praise God for the wonderful lesson!
Cherish those precious moments with your kiddos - as I know you will! They are so fleeting! I look back now as I open my Christmas box and see the humble little ornaments made over the years by little hands - the memories of Christmasses past come flooding to my mind when I see the ornaments so lovingly made and given to me to place on our tree. I have since moved on to decorating my tree with ornaments that match and have a certain color/theme each year but I long for the days of having my tree decorated by little hands - memories of waiting until they went to bed to "even out" the branches when the children would place too many close to the bottom of the tree. NOW I see the innocence and beauty that I missed then. NOW I see the beauty in the humble nativity and cross! Great post today Kathy! Thank you for the heart lesson!
((Hugs))
Kymber
Kathy...you said it so perfectly! Such lessons learned in our homes by the children He knew would teach us what He wanted us to learn. May we stay teachable and always ready to listen and learn. May you continue to be blessed. Hugs to you!
Amen Kathy! How often God speaks to us through those around us. The seemingly simple and every day occurrences in our family and our environment become the chalkboard for the lessons our Father would have us learn.
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