Baby Jesus is missing.....

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Recently I took a photo of my little nativity scene.  Today my mom posted one she took.  Both had been manipulated by little 4 year old Josiah.  He loves to play with them.  I grew up with a mom that encouraged us to play with the nativity pieces, to ask questions, to interact with them and so of course I did the same thing as a mama.  I have the set that I collected over many years when I was newly married and it was somewhat expensive...but not fragile.  I have a second set that belonged to a grandma and when she passed away, it was one of the things I received from the estate.  

This year, I had my "nice" set on the piano in the office room and the less expensive one in the family room.  The other day, Josiah was busy playing and was moving the pieces back and forth....putting them together, then separating them.....and its hard to tell which goes where.  I was busy and distracted as any busy working mom is most days and didn't pay attention until later that evening.  The set in the family room had an empty manger.  Baby Jesus......was missing.  I didn't panic because, after all, I do have another set in another room....and usually things like this turn up.  I became a bit more concerned after my cleaning day, when Violetta came and made the house lovely again....and the manger remained empty.  If Baby Jesus was around, she would have found him and set him back in his place.  

My thoughts drifted from "Away in a Manger".....to away FROM the manger.....I decided to take a current picture of my nativity scene....with the empty manger.  I'm hoping baby Jesus turns up yet.....but if not, maybe there is a lesson in this scenario.  We can thank Claire for the inspiration......she said......I thought you were taking a picture to blog about how the world is taking Jesus out of Christmas.  

What a flippin great idea!

Let's start with me.  It took me 2 full weeks of December before I was hit in a fresh wave of emotion, that Christmas is about Jesus coming to save ME from hell, and to give ME the gift of eternal life.  Yep.  Been a Christian a long time but this year....it still took 2 and a half weeks to get to that gratitude and humbling awe.  Also.....our extended family is going through some changes this year.  Our Christmas traditions are not all carrying over this year and instead we are creating new ones.  That's really good stuff.....but still....part of me is sad that the familiar things are gone.

  I'm guilty of buying too many things, wanting my children to have all the toys and gifts they desire, wanting to contribute to all of the charities and fund raisers and help everyone I meet.....but we do not have unending financial resources and that makes me frustrated......where is Jesus again?  Did I lose him?  I don't see Him in the manger......

Let's look at our nation.....are we even allowed to declare the name of Jesus at Christmas time?  Are we replacing Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays everywhere?  Seriously....where is Jesus again?  I don't see Him in the manger.  

Let's look at our world.  Lets look for Jesus.  He is Emmanuel....God with Us.....but where is He?  Can we be the voice and the hands and the feet until the world can see Him again?  I sure hope so.  I'm ok with an empty manger as long as we don't stop looking for Him.  Everywhere.  

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