Just One to Remind Me

I am a procrastinator. I probably should have mentioned it before. I could give you several examples; I may do that later.

This evening I will illustrate. You may think I am terrible, but we just took down our Christmas tree today. One of them. Hopefully, tomorrow, the other one will come down. Stop shaking your head is disapproval. I am busy. Lots of other things have a higher priority. The Christmas tree doesn't need fed, walked, washed, folded, vacuumed, hugged, helped with homework, driven to school, picked up from band practice (although, yes, I don't do that for my children, either -- luckily they have a grandmother who is willing to help), or taught algebra. The Christmas tree just sits there, and quietly waits its turn. (I actually don't feel quiet as guilty about it as I usually do because I found out tonight how long my cousin left hers up. I won't share, but my procrastination is nothing compared to hers.)

So today we packed it away. We also packed our nativity scenes into boxes to await next year's festivities. I say nativity scenes (plural) because we have several. A list:

• One I had as a child (the one in the picture). The pieces are kind of funny looking because Mom repainted them. It's a good thing she had a day job.
• One we (S and I) bought many years ago. It's the largest and most elaborate of the many we have.
• One that looks like it should star in a claymation movie.
• A really tiny one -- each piece only an inch tall
• A handmade one from Guatemala (or some other Central American country) -- very bright -- made of bread dough.
• One that was a gift from a friend.

And some others, but I may tell you about those later (or not).

I don't mind packing away the tree. It's time has come and gone. Good riddance. (Is that horrible to say?) I'll be happy to see it next Christmas, but for now I just want the living room back. I can't say the same about the nativity scenes, though. I think it might be kind of cool to leave them out all year. And not because I am a procrastinator. Sometimes I forget the wonder of it all -- the few moments in December when I actually remember, with bone-deep certainty and grateful heart, that God sent his son to the world as a baby. Nativity scenes can be a great reminder of that graceful moment of rememberance.

So, for the past few years, I've kept one out. One single nativity scene. It' s always a small one, but not always the same one each year. Its not in an obvious place, so I don't see it everyday, but I do encounter it every once and a while. And it makes me smile. And remember.