"I found Jesus!"

Our new home is decorated for Christmas. The musical I've directed for years happened last weekend and it couldn't have gone better. 9 dozen cookies have been baked. Shopping is well underway. Christmas cards are awaiting a letter, labels, and a stamp. The nativity is up - but baby Jesus was lost.

And I was not ok with it.

When we unpacked the nativity scene I noticed that someone was missing. Someone tiny. Why couldn't the maker of this nativity just have made the manger and Jesus one piece?  I looked through the loose newspaper. I looked through the bubble wrap. I looked through the bins and the little Lord Jesus was no where to be found. I thought about ordering a new Jesus. I thought about seeing if I could find a Jesus ornament that would work. I thought about making a new Jesus. Time has not been my friend lately so none of those things happened. I decided to look one more time through the bins.

And there he was. At the bottom of a glitter and fake snow dusted bin, lighter than I remembered and wrapped in news paper. I had looked in that bin and didn't see Him - and if you know anything about hour our house operates - nothing is really really lost until Mom can't find it. I'm sure you can relate.

It brought such a sigh of relief and at the same moment a very clear parallel to real life.

It's so easy to lose Jesus amidst the celebration of His birth, isn't it?

For the last couple weeks my children have asked, "haven't you found Jesus yet?" or "Mom, have you found Jesus?". It's generated some giggles along the way. Believe me when I tell you, there was much rejoicing when I exclaimed "I FOUND JESUS!"

How about you? Has Jesus gotten lost amidst your baking, shopping, decorating, preparing... I hope this experience sticks with me throughout the rest of this season of celebrating. I heard someone say once that with out Christ in Christmas - all you have is "mas" - translated "mess". Isn't that the truth.

In other news, I'm also celebrating that out dossier is no longer in this country. It's on it's way to getting logged in and shortly after that we will see our "Grace" for the first time in a picture on a screen. It's amazing how technology can be both our worst enemy and best friend.

As we continue this month of preparing for Christmas and celebrating this magical season of Joy and Hope - I hope you know the peace of the one who traded his heavenly home to dwell among us and be born in the most humble of places. He did it for you. He did it for me.

O Come, let us adore Him ~ Christ the Lord!