Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Christmas Without Jesus

No, this isn't going to be a devotional or anything like that. It's just that we need to find Jesus.

It started last Friday evening, when I had two hungry and wet babies and company coming any minute. I caught the older kids on top of the loveseat, giggling in that silly way that you know means children are allied against grownups everywhere.

"D2 hid baby Jesus!" D1 exclaimed. Sure enough, the nativity set on the mantle was missing the central character.

At a moment like this, I realized I had two choices: an interminable discipline/interrogation/hunting session, or walking away in disgust. I chose option B, went and changed and fed the babies and was ready for company.

Unfortunately, I forgot all about it for two days. By that time, the ducklings had apparently forgotten where they had hid the figurine. We hunted all the likely places in the vicinity and turned up nothing.

So we issued an ultimatum: No candy until they find Jesus. Or the New Year, whichever comes first.

Edited to add: I found baby Jesus in the library book basket, along with half of a plastic red pepper, a small hot rod, and a toy credit card. And a lot of books, of course. I have not yet heard whether I get the prize, but the ducklings insist I do not get their candy.

5 comments:

Devona said...

I'm sorry. There are so many things that my kids have lost and then forgotten they've lost. Ugh!

Steve said...

No devotional - but then "We need to find Jesus"????

Hopefully he will show up this weekend. It's always better when He's around . . .

the Joneses said...

That sounds like the ultimate in childhood religious oppression: "No candy until you find Jesus, you born-with-sin-nature-child!"

-- SJ

Rachelle said...

Yes, we can not leave the nativity or the tree alone....Fortunately Jesus doesn't make his appearance until Christmas Eve so he's still safe.

Anonymous said...

We have a few nativity sets so the kids can have one in their rooms if they want to. They don't always put them away exactly right. This year, my daughter opened one of the boxes to find TWO babies. I'm pretty sure Mary didn't have twins. I checked.