Happy New Year and a Touch of Christmas
Wishes for a Blessed and Happy New Year ring out to each of you. Holiday ornaments may still be dangling from your Christmas tree as you linger over the warmth of your holiday memories before packing away the decorations until next year. Yet on a nearby table or on the floor perhaps the glow of the manger scene beckons you to take one more look, remember the Christmas hymns which tugged on your heart, and thank God for His precious gift of Jesus. Don’t pack Him away with the ornaments.
I invite you to take a closer look at our family’s humble, less-than-elegant Nativity. If you follow me on Facebook, you may remember that I drew attention to our unique manger set and the story of how it became the centerpiece of our Christmas celebration. While its stature may resemble the meager setting in which our Savior was born, the story of how it came to be our Nativity is cloaked in love.
Hubby Tom and I gathered with others from our church in a large auditorium where voices bounced off the walls and table legs clamored as they pounded the floor in preparation for a church bazaar. Donors set up their treasures on the arranged tables to raise funds for a nearby seminary. Outside the hall, a woman stopped her car near an open hall door. As the woman gathered her gift for the raffle, she jostled her full box. Hubby offered to assist her set up a hand-crafted manger set.
He admired the intricate detail of each figure mentally assessing its value. After the pieces were arranged, the woman drove off. Surprised, Tom wondered what to do. Then someone slapped a clipboard in his hand, an empty sheet of notebook paper flapping against the board. It’s destination– the table where the Nativity rested. It was intended to draw interested buyers over to encourage bidding. To attract other people, Tom placed a starting bid on the sheet, then wandered back to me.
After awhile, Hubby circled back to see how much people had bid on the woman’s crocheted manger. He couldn’t believe that the first bid was barely higher than his initial suggestion. Tom increased the bid hoping to draw a higher amount for these valuable pieces. Gazing across the room from the table we manned, he kept an eagle eye out for other bidders. Finally, he rose and strolled nonchalantly to the Nativity display. With a sideways glance, he noticed no one had raised his bid. How could no one appreciate the hours of work and love invested in these figures, he wondered. Moved to honor the woman’s skill and dedication, Tom raised his own bid.
Just before closing, Hubby walked over to the table across the room from us. He checked with an administrator to make sure the bidding had closed. That afternoon, we drove away with our own Nativity set, strengthening our faith and establishing our home. In time, we sensed God’s providence in gifting us with this set.
“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:31 NIV
That Nativity became the centerpiece of our Christmas celebrations throughout our decades of marriage. At first it held a prominent place on a piece of furniture near our front door. When our first child became two years old, he delighted in grabbing the sheep and dashing across the room grinning. The wooly lambs were pried from his hand and returned to their place among the other members of the Christmas story.
As our boys grew in knowledge of God’s word, we would read the Scripture and each one took turns placing the treasured figures around the manger according to the narrative. On Christmas Eve, the baby Jesus was placed in his soft manger.
Our Nativity reminds me of how Jesus came in humble beginnings and made us valuable in His sight. May you carry the treasure of our Savior’s love and sacrifice with you each day throughout this New Year. Don’t leave Him in the manger until next Christmas.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
Just a thought, friend, for you to check out. January 6th is the feast of Ephiphany. In the Western churches, it commemorates the visit of the wise men to adore Jesus as Divine, the King of Kings, and the Savior of all in their gifts of frankincense, gold, and myrrh. It is said that the visit of the Magi signified salvation was for both Jew and Gentile who accept Jesus as Savior for their sins. I did some digging into this and it's quite interesting. One source I found was the Catholic News Agency.
I also link up with these sites throughout the week: Remember Me Monday; Inspire Me Monday; Let’s Have Coffee;
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY LOVE READING YOUR BLOG POST THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR THOUGHTS WITH US AND DOING IT WITH A GREAT OPEN HEART!
GENE.
Thank you so much, Gene, for your thoughtful comment. I appreciate you stopping by. Happy New Year to you.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
As a person who creates handmade items I love how much meaning you have found in this set. If the person who made it knew how much it was treasured I am sure she would be so proud. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family, Janis! It is always a joy to read your posts and thoughts.
And FYI, your set is crocheted not hand knit! To those of use that use those skills there is a big difference.
Vicki, thank you for your skilled observation! I have knit but never crocheted anything. And the extent of my knitting skills was to make hanger covers for the old wooden hangers. Are you laughing? Thank you for clearing up the skill displayed in our manger set. I’ve always thought of crocheting as a finer weave than knitting and this seemed a little bulkier, but I do not have the expert eye.
I’m glad you enjoy my posts. May your family be blessed with health and joy in this New Year and those to come.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
Among all the treasures of Christmas decorating is the Manger. Through the years I’ve received many different ones as gifts. From nesting figures, to Guatemalan clad ones and of course the treasured ceramic figures. Each one receives a special place of honor. This year as I unpacked my decorations I could not find the traditional ceramic set that reminds me of our childhood . I searched and searched until I found it in its own box tucked on a top shelf away from the other decorations. I admit it stressed me out for a while and when it was found all was settled in my heart. Most anything can be missed but the Nativity is the remembrance of the real reason for such a wonderful Celebration.
A beautiful story, Julie, of how God creates treasures in our hearts for moments, memories, and tangible reminders of those times. Yes, finding what seemed lost, especially a prized Nativity, is reason to rejoice and bring peace to our hearts. I’m glad our story reminded you of yours.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
How wonderful your husband appreciated and loved the crocheted nativity set. I think that’s a true indicator of his kind character and his heart for people!
Hi Nancy,
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I’ll pass on your thoughtful words to him. He does have a kind heart and a desire to help others out. I’m blessed!
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
I’m glad someone appreciated the love and hard work that went into that nativity set. (I’m sure God did.) How nice that it’s non-breakable, so little hands can play with it. ❤
Thank you, Ann, for your appreciation of that woman’s work. I know God appreciated her work and has blessed our family with it for years. Truly, the work of her hands has been honored and appreciated throughout the years.
Janis, this story . . . so beautiful. Two thoughts: one—I leave a small nativity scene out through the year to remind me of Jesus, the story of His birth, and the gift of salvation we received through His death and resurrection. Your story of the crocheted nativity set is so special. Secondly, it reminded me of my mom’s ceramic (or clay?) manger set . . . which we set out each year with great ceremony. We girls got to add a straw to Jesus’ manger. Christmas Eve night, after my sisters and I were tucked into bed, my parents laid the baby Jesus in His resting place. What is so special about this set is that my grandmother made it. It holds a special place in my memory and my heart.
Oh, Jeanne, what precious memories to have each year as you set out your mother’s/grandmother’s manger set. And it’s a tangible way to remember Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection throughout the year. Perhaps, some of our other readers may be inspired to do likewise. Thank you for sharing your Nativity story.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
What a beautiful nativity set, Janis! And it warms my heart to hear of your husband’s desire to honor the hours of loving labor done on the set, as well as raise money for the nearby seminary. ~Let’s Have Coffee #15
Thank you, Lisa, for your thoughtful comment on our Nativity set. I’m so grateful for the Lord’s nudge on hubby’s heart to provide a home for our first manger set. As others have mentioned their family’s sets from childhood, we too used to put out both sets. Now, that older one is tucked away to be passed on to our children.
From my heart to yours,
Janis
Happy New Year Janis! I love the story of your humble nativity set! I know there are many elegant sets, but I honestly am drawn to the ones which are not shiny, stunning or ornate. The simplicity of the figures speak to me of Christ’s humble birth more than the delicate porcelain ones.
Oh, Donna, thank you so much for your encouraging words about our Nativity set. I have to admit that there were times I sort of wished we had an elaborate one. Then my eye would find its way drifting back to our humble set and my heart would remember how it became ours. I realized nothing could compare to this gift from the Lord.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
That is a unique and beautiful nativity set, and an interesting story of how it came to belong to you. Visiting from Let’s Have Coffee #22
Thank you, Kym, for appreciating our treasured Nativity Set as well. Thank you for taking the time to visit here. I hope to see you again in the New Year.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
Oh Janis I love this!!! I absolutely loved reading about the story behind your nativity scene. You write so descriptively and beautifully about Tom making sure that it was not only sold but at a fair price, and then how it went on to become such a special place in your family home at Christmas. Just beautiful! Happy Epiphany! ❤️
Oh, Jenni,
Thank you so much for taking the time to put your thoughts so eloquently on my blog. God brings special moments, friends, and things that reveal His love and leading in our lives. This moments was one of those times. And as the years go by, the treasure of this Nativity set and God’s revelation grows deeper in our hearts.
Happy Epiphany back to you.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis
Happy New Year Janis! What a pretty nativity and I just love this precious story of how it became your families.
Visiting today from Let’s Have Coffee #19&20
Hi Paula, so fun to see you here. Thank you for gracious comment on our Nativity Set. It warms my heart to know it’s blessing others as well. Thank you for stopping by.
From My Heart to Yours,
Janis