Nativity Scenes Part II

The clear plastic nativity that is on the window sill in the bathroom is about four inches tall and has a tint of purple in the plastic.  It was a Christmas gift from Sam.  It has the least monetary value of my nativity sets.  That doesn't lessen its value though.

When the boys were little and we lived on Cherry Street we had neighbors, a married couple with two boys.  Our kids played together.  Their Dad had issues and tried to take their Mom's life.

I read it in the paper and was shocked.  The boys and Mom stayed living next door, Dad went to jail.  Hubby and I tried to help her with the boys once in a while.  The boys went with Hubby and our guys to our church's Cadet program for young boys.  They spent time at our place when their Mom had commitments.

One afternoon during Christmas vacation they were staying with us.  The subject of Christmas gifts came up. The boys were worried about getting a gift for their Mom.

It wasn't a high budget Christmas for us.  But I knew they needed to feel good about giving gifts.

So after lunch I loaded up five boys and drove to the dollar store in Bellingham.

I told them they could buy a gift for whoever they wanted to give a gift to and that we would wrap them when we got home.

I remember them asking me if they could get a gift for their uncle.  Sure.  Grandpa and Grandma? Yes.

Could they get a gift for each other?  Absolutely.  On it went...

The pile on the counter grew. We had so much fun picking and choosing each gift.

A lot of thought went into those gifts.

I never had to ask anyone to pick another gift because it was too expensive, after all,  

everything was a dollar.

My guys shopped too and found something for everyone.  Sam picked out this Nativity for me.  It will always remind me of that fun shopping trip with five little boys.  We've lost touch with the family that lived next door.  We moved.  They moved.  Hubby has run into the boys, they haven't made the best choices in life.  Then one Sunday after church a girl with a baby came looking for help.  It was the girlfriend and baby son of one of the neighbor boys.  I don't think it was a coincidence that we were there having lunch and were able to help.

God kept putting this family in front of us.  I won't forget them.  I pray they have a blessed Christmas and that they too remember the birth of our Savior.