A Sheep in the Sky

My apologies for the delay in posting the article entitled Growing Boys. It was written in plenty of time, but I mislabeled it as a draft. Perhaps today you need to read two my ponderings. That sounds like a lot to people who don't know me, but my thoughts are often not in any depth or magnitude. So let's get started with today's.

Bible Verse for Today: Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. John 1:29
Teddy Questions: Do you have any toy lambs (or sheep) at your house? Find one to put near the manger scene.

I just flew home to hubby, job, cold weather and pooch to let my daughter's family begin to settle in with their newest little member. While Stephanie was in the hospital, I had a routine with little Teddy to help him prepare for Jesus' birthday. Thoughts of a new baby made sense to him since he just experienced the coming of a baby. His own second birthday was celebrated a little early to not minimize its importance. Birthdays to him mean friends and cake and balloons and fun. Jesus would love it.

Anyway, each morning I would move the candy cane to show the new December date. My sister Kathy sent him an Advent calendar where you get tiny little symbols out of a box to hang on the scene. So far we had 2 birds, an angel, donkey and 2 sheep. Although one hangs in a tree, Teddy knows it hangs near the reserved spot for baby Jesus.

After an hour or so of play time, we went to his second Advent calendar. (It seems like my sister Kathy and I had the same idea. They are not the identical calendars though so they both work as part of the daily routine.) There again we would count to the day and find a different hidden treasure behind the numbered door. He would peek at the magnetic piece to announce its identity while using his own verbiage to describe it. The stars were "twinkle, twinkle" complete with the opening and closing of his small, fat fist. The shepherd was a "Da, Da" to his little eyes. Now, animals have begun to fill the barn. There is a "moo" and a couple of "baa(s)" already gently positioned on the scene. He knows baby animals surrounded '"baby" Jesus on the day of His birth.

His favorite Advent calendar though is the cheap one I bought at a nearby store. After lunch, Teddy would open the cardboard door to find chocolate shaped characters. He once had to quick let me see an already wet chocolate rendition of a participant at "Jesus' birthday". What do you know! A sheep was there too. (It was there only a short time prior to being devoured by my young grandson.)

That foundation is being formed, It will be built upon in coming years. Stephanie and Chris are supplying him with the information needed as he begins to know Jesus. I'm sure he will gradually have many things to ponder and present questions to his parents for them to ponder too.

Although these Advent countdowns take little time for Teddy to complete, he does them daily. I too am taking time daily to think of the upcoming birth. I don't want to prioritize these writings at a level where I can skip a day, for then it becomes two days, then three.

I remember once hearing from a pulpit, if Jesus looked at your checkbook, could He tell you were a Christian. I have expanded that to be, if He looked at your calendar, could He tell you were a Christian? If He looked at the books in your home, could He tell you were a Christian? If He looked at how you spend your time in the evenings, could He tell you were a Christian? If He looked at how you talked to friends, coworkers and family, could he tell you were a Christian?
If He looked at you this Advent season, could he tell you were a Christian?

Ponder that.