The Manager is Full

      As of last night, the Christmas decorations are packed back into their storage containers and have been shoved to the back of the closet under the stairs where they will reside for the next eleven months.  
      As the kids were helping me pack up the ornaments Little Man said, "I feel a little bit sad putting all of this Christmas stuff away." I also always feel a tinge of nostalgia and sadness as I wrap up and put away all the ornaments and decorations.  Last night, I was thinking about why that is.  Honestly, I was ready to get that tree out of our living room.  It was looking droopy and I was getting tired of vacuuming up needles and picking up ornaments.  We certainly don't need to consume any more holiday treats, and while all of our holiday celebrations were wonderful and memorable, I am ready to get back to "normal" life for a while.
      I think part of the sadness comes from the fact one more magical Christmas has passed with my children.   I love experiencing the wonder and joy of Christmas through their eyes and know the years that I get the privilege of having small children in my home at Christmas are few and fleeting, so I try to soak up every moment of them.
    But it is more than that.  It is the feeling that permeates throughout the Christmas season.  The excitement, the happiness, the increased patience, kindness, and generosity that exists between family members, friends, and even strangers.   I am never more aware of how connected we are to other people as I am at Christmas time.  It's the spirit of Christmas that I miss, and of course the true spirit of Christmas comes from the fact that we are celebrating the birth and the life of our Savior.  I think that as people's thoughts turn to Him, we cannot help but treat our fellowman with more kindness and compassion.  It's hard to be irritated with those around you with beautiful words of "Silent Night" coming from the radio.
     The above picture is of our "manager."  Throughout the month of December, members of our family placed a piece of straw inside of it when they did a kind deed.  The goal is to make it a comfortable bed for Baby Jesus by Christmas time. I love seeing my children happily helping each other.  I do admit to having used to the line, "If you (fill in the blank) you can put a piece of straw in" a few times, but  having that constant reminder on our counter really did help us to go that extra mile to serve each other.  I also loved listening to my children recount the story of his birth using the puppets and wooden nativity pieces that were out in our living room.
    And now it's January and it's raining.  And there is no manager on the counter, no twinkling lights, no wooden nativity puzzle, no gifts to plan, and no Christmas music playing, and that is why it's a little sad to have it all packed away.  I know that we can continue to have that same spirit and love in our home and for others all year round.  I know that December does not hold a monopoly on giving thoughtful gifts and cards to family and friends or serving our fellow men.  Sometimes it may seem that it takes more effort than it does December to do these things, but it certainly worth the effort.  Because for the eleven months of the year that we aren't filling up a manager, I still want to strive to have a home where Christ would always be a welcome and comfortable visitor.