When my children were little I was always trying new ways to teach them the true meaning of Christmas. One year I read about preparing the crib for Jesus. The idea was that you took an empty crib (or basket) and made it nice and soft for Baby Jesus.
Starting the first of December everyone's name was put into a container and a name was drawn out every Sunday. For that week you were to do extra thoughtful things for that person in secret. Anytime you did something you could take a piece of straw and put it into Jesus' bed.
It was fun watching the kids sneak around doing good things and by Christmas Eve we had a nice, soft bed for Baby Jesus.
I wish I could say that this had such an impact on my children that they never fought again and continued to do nice things for each other but of course it didn't------or did it?
Today I saw my adult daughter taking care of her sister's two kids and fixing her brother lunch. I saw my son loaning his combine to my son-in-law. I also saw my other son hauling grain for his brother and helping with his chores. I realized that this is the adult version of putting straw in a bed for Baby Jesus and I am very proud of them.
Proverbs 22:6 Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not run from it.
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