I know it's only the third day in,

but...

something is happening to me!

Each morning when I open a gift, it's like I'm seeing a piece from the nativity for the first time, first of all, they are about the cutest little figurines ever, I read the scripture that goes along with it and all day long I catch myself thinking about that piece for the day....

like the first day was the little sheppard boy,

he was carrying a walking stick and a lantern to help light his way, I thought about his sweetness and pure humbleness that must of been in his heart to follow the star to meet a baby that he'd never met before but that he probably loved already.

don't we find ourselves in the same situations sometimes?

and don't you find so much symbolism in each piece?

you see, I have about 8-9 Nativity sets, all different and unique,

I try to collect a different one each year,

my mom surprised me and sent me one a few weeks ago,

and the one thing I asked for this year was a big one,

I told Kurt if we played our cards right we could get one the day after Christmas on the big sales, that's beside the point,

but, my point is......

I've never gotten a Nativity one piece at a time and it's really allowing me time to think about each piece, and even maybe some of the thoughts and feelings that each person might have thought or had been feeling who played a role at the time that our dear little Savior was born.

Today I opened number 3....

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

~a donkey~

This gift is doing exactly what my visiting teacher intended for it to do,

it's really bringing me the tenderness of what Christmas is all about!

which is a blessing in itself...

after I had all my decorations up this year,

I thought it looked all pretty and such, but I knew what was missing, I could feel it,

I was missing the spirit and love of what Christmas should be all about, so I made a mental note to myself that I would have to bring that special Christmas feeling and spirit into our home....

Don't ya just love when your prayers are answered!