When I was a little girl, the rustic wooden nativity set was
my favorite decoration to set up at Christmas time.
Back in the 1960’s my dad’s cousin gave it to my parents as
a gift. She brought it home from
Jerusalem, after traveling there. My mom
passed it on to me, years ago.
It’s simple, and it’s simply sweet to me.
Each figure is hand carved out of olive wood. Mary, Joseph,
a manger and the baby Jesus, are accompanied by 2 sheep, a donkey and an oxen,
along with a shepherd, three wise men and a camel. The wood is rough. The smell is earthy. The sight is plain.
This year, I set the cherished characters on mounds of
moss. A single star like candle in a
crystal holder stands above them.
I feel my heart traveling over mounds of memories and
moments of life, too.
Truthfully, some memories make me smile, and others find
residence in the valleys of sorrow in my soul.
My heart stirs of special times and times of regret.
Shadows of dreams and disappointments drift in and out.
I see photos of faces in my mind, and my soul longs for
those I love and yearns for peace for those I care deeply about.
I’ve been reflecting on and remembering a lot from years of
walking this road called life, BUT my
heart finds rest in this -- Hope is what I simply seek, and His names is Jesus.
What about you? How is your heart this Christmas? In what do you see it reflected?
1 comment:
Beautifully stated!
Post a Comment