Personal note:
This is a fictional story based on some facts. Several years ago while I was still teaching, I did leave our Baby Jesus on the dryer due to all my Christmas activities. Hubby worked excessive overtime that year. I rarely saw him. Now we’re both retired, but he still complains about getting out the Christmas decorations.
I’d call him Scrooge, but he’s decided we should carry a Christmas meal to a needy family this year. He likes to fuss about my “to do” list of Christmas, but I know he has the Christmas spirit in his heart.
I like to tell my grandchildren that I do believe in Santa. When they ask me, “Really?” I reply, “Yea, I’m married to him.” This makes them laugh. “No, you’re not.”
All the names are changed to protect the innocent. Some of the characters are fictional and added for fun. I hope you enjoy the story.
Remember in all your busyness and many activities during these holidays, be sure not to forget Baby Jesus like I did that year. After all, it is His birthday.
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After school, Susan sat at her desk in frustration. “It’s after 4. I’ve got to hurry, there’s so much to do at home. I hate this paperwork, always paperwork. Two more weeks of school before Christmas, how will I get it all done?
Tonight, I’ve got to cook supper and then choir practice for the Christmas musical. I don’t have the outside decorations up. I don’t have my tree finished and forget about the Christmas cards. I’ll do them later. Who started that tradition anyway?”
Shaking her head, “Lord, I’m so sick of this day after day. Rush, rush, rush. When will it stop? I’m so tired.”
Later at home, five-year old Anna bounces in the kitchen, “Mom. I’m hungry. What’s for supper?”
“Frozen lasagna’s in the microwave, be done in a minute.”
Nodding at the other two sitting at the table Anna starts, “But I want hot dogs, why can’t we have hot dogs?” Waving her hands, she chants, “We want hot dogs, hot dogs, hot dogs.”
The three-year old twins joined her chant, “Hot dogs, hot dogs, hot dogs.”
Susan took a deep breath, and rolled her eyes, “Okay, okay, you eat hot dogs. Dad and I’ll eat lasagna.”
Ed walked in, “I’ve got to go in tonight, they called earlier while you were still at work.”
“But I need you to help me with the outside decorations”
“Look, you do too much. I told you before we don’t need all these Christmas decorations. If you want them, you put them up. I’ve got to go now, we need the money. Bye.” He kissed her and walked out.
She slammed the pot on the counter, “Why do I have to do everything by myself? I’m the one that makes Christmas happen here. I get the presents, I decorate the tree, and I decorate outside too. How did I marry Christmas Scrooge? If it weren’t for me, there would be no Christmas at all.
The kids continued banging on the table, “Hot dogs, hot dogs, hot dogs.”
Then a large yellow lab runs through the kitchen, licking each of the kids, puts his paws on the table and sniffs at the leftover dishes from breakfast.
Susan screams, “Get that dog out.” Anna opens the back door to let the dog out, “But Mom, he wants a hot dog too.”
Later that night after the kids were asleep, Susan drags the nativity scene out of the garage. She placed Mary and Joseph in the front yard along with the three wise men. She begins to untangle the electric cords for their lights. It starts to rain.
“Great. I can’t even finish this, I’ll get electrocuted. Thanks Lord, just what I need, rain.”
She placed the last piece on top of the dryer, Baby Jesus with his electric cord hanging down. Patting the baby she sighed, “I’ll get to you later Baby Jesus.”
For the next two weeks it was the same routine, Susan working late, kids screaming for supper, the dog running in the house every time one of the kids left the door open, and Ed working overtime night shift. Susan managed to get the tree decorated. She shopped for gifts on the way to and from school. She even managed to get most of the cards finished, but somehow Baby Jesus got overlooked. He still laid on top of the dryer. As she put clothes in the dryer, she would move the electric cord out-of-the-way, and pat Baby Jesus, “I’ll get to you soon, I promise.”
Then Christmas Eve, Susan realized in horror, “It’s Christmas Eve and Baby Jesus is still on the dryer. Man, what will the neighbors think?”
She ran to the laundry room to get him, “What? Where’s Baby Jesus? Maybe Ed decided to help after all.”
She went to the front yard to look at the nativity scene, still no Baby Jesus. “What? Where’s Baby Jesus?”
Then Susan called the kids, “Who got Baby Jesus off the dryer?” All of them shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads. Ed came in. She asked him, “Did you get the Baby Jesus?”
“No, I thought you did. But I have to go in to work again tonight.” He kissed her bye and left.
After Ed left, Susan started the search for a missing Baby Jesus. First she looked in the kid’s rooms, under their beds, in their closets, and in the toy boxes. No baby Jesus. Funny, the kids started looking too. They were calling, “Baby Jesus, where are you?”
She walked throughout the back yard and then the front searching. Still no Baby Jesus. In desperation Susan just sat on the front steps and cried.
“Lord, would You help me? I just can’t do this anymore. I’m a mess, my life is a mess, and it seems everything is a mess. Please help me.” Looking up, she saw a star shining in the east. It seemed brighter than all the others.
As she remembered the story of the real Baby Jesus, Anna came running, “Mom, come quick I found Baby Jesus. Come see.”
Sarah followed Anna to the back yard. Anna pointed to the dog house and Sarah looked in. There was Baby Jesus in the dog house. “How did that happen?”
Anna laughed, “Guess the dog wanted to make room for Baby Jesus in his house.”
Sarah felt conviction as she took Baby Jesus and placed him in the nativity scene between Mary and Joseph.
“Lord, the dog made room for Baby Jesus in his home, but I didn’t make room for You in my home or my heart. With all my Christmas preparations, I just left Baby Jesus out. Would You forgive me? Help me to never leave You out of my home or my life again.
As she looked at that shining bright star again, she heard, “If you seek Me, you will find Me.”
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[ Glory in the Highest ] Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2: 8-11
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!
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