Last week Tanner went to Aunt Beck’s and he was excited to see her Christmas decorations.?? He started urging me to get going on ours so today (December 5th) we had a little party.?? We bought egg nog and ginger ale (which mosly I drank) and some cookies and candy.?? We played Christmas music and Tanner, Ty and I got all our decorations up.?? As soon as we finished Tanner wanted to call Aunt Beck.?? The first thing he said to her was “Aunt Beck!?? Can you come over??? Christmas came!”???? Yes indeed, it does look like Christmas came to the Brinkman house 🙂 !?? A little off balance maybe since I let a 5 year old and 2 year old help decorate but all the more precious because of it.
But then came my favorite part…
During the hustle and bustle of the season, it is easy to assume that our kids miss the point.????I have tried to keep the attention on the CHRIST and make certain to correct every “Happy Holiday” greeting with a returned “Merry CHRISTmas” but have I communicated the heart of the message sufficiently to my children?
Imagine my delight when Tanner??demonstrated a simple yet profound understanding of the gospel – it’s all about Jesus.??
Tanner found my??miniature precious moments nativity set (that Grammy bought me years ago as a collectors item) and he was excited to open it.?? I told??him that since he was 5, he was probably old enough to carefully set it up for me.?? When he was done, he invited me in to see his assembly.?? Tears filled my eyes when I saw it.?? When I asked him why he set it up this way he??said “Because that is what they did“.????Out of the mouths and hearts of babes.?? The pictures will speak for themselves.
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P.S.?? This is how Ty decorated.??
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20 responses to “CHRISTmas Came”
i’m nearly moved to tears seeing that tanner really GETS Christmas. 🙂 AND THEN I SEE TY’S ADDITION TO THE DECOR!!!!! NOW I’M SITTING BY MYSELF AND LAUGHING OUT LOUD!!!! what a darling. perhaps they are close to the manger and kneeling too? 😉
Precious…. what a blessing.
Giggling over Ty’s portion.
I am moved to tears as I see Tanner’s arrangement . . . and grinning at Ty’s. What a special memory, Doni. I’m so glad you wrote it and photographed it. Trust me, when you and your kids get older, you look back and wonder where all those Christmases went . . .
Angie
I ditto exactly what Heidi said. Then you had to ruin the moment by posting Ty’s decorating. ROFL! Tanner’s decorating wins hands down. Be still my heart.
I was simply lightening the moment a bit :)!
And yes, in our little pretend fantasy Brinkman home, let’s just imagine that TyJo WAS trying to make that reindeer kneel before the King. I bet that is EXACTLY what he was thinking what he did it! 😀 😀 😀
i’m sure of it. 🙂
I love how precious Tanner is, but Ty never ceases to crack me up! I’m at work and litterally laughed out loud when I saw Ty’s decoration. : ) I miss those boys!
Looks like to me that reindeer passed out from being in all that snow. 😉
by the way – the wood on that table the nativity sits on is pretty. 🙂 looks warm.
what a blessing! and what a hoot! I too almost cried when I saw the pictures and then the doomed reindeer! LOL 🙂
You know what? How profound is this little display? I’m thinking about my nativity that I set up and realize that I have it all set up so that all the figures are near baby Jesus, but ultimately they are all looking out so that we can see their faces and how cute and precious the little figurines are. But it is sooooo wrong. Tanner has it so right and I’m going to go change mine right now.
Thank you, Tanner, for setting me straight on my Christmas decorating:)
And Ty, thank you for giving me a giggle:)
Go Jana! Better yet, GO Tanner!!!! How true is that?!?! My nativity scene is rather large, sitting on my mantel (facing outwards) – if I face them in, some of them will be sitting in the fireplace. 😉
I think EVERYONE should send me a photo of their nativity scene & I will post them on my blog. How cool would that be, to see ALL the different ones? amazingjourney@sbcglobal.net 🙂
I am so glad you “got it”! When I set up a nativity I always position the figures “just so”. They are perfectly balanced and slightly turned out so the audience can enjoy each one. I set it up for my pleasure. Tanner though didn’t think about it being “enjoyed” – he set it up to reflect truth. He was telling a story as accurately as he could. Why isn’t that beautiful simplicity so obvious to all of us adults? The manger scene has never looked so precious to me and I will follow in Tanner’s footsteps in how I set my manger up for every Christmas here after.
I was thinking about this yesterday and realized that we all usually set up our manger scenes like the members are posing for a Christmas portrait… how funny is that when you really think about it?
Okay, Okay – now the 3 wisemen – you stand to the leftof Joseph, Shepherds, please get your sheep under control and stand to the right of Mary. Wiseman #3, could you kneel down in front of Wiseman #2? And Wiseman #1 – I think if your camel lays down behind everyone we can get it in the photo, too. Okay, now Joseph and Mary, look down on your baby and if you can, please stop him from crying. Okay, ready?
I’m going to count to 3. 1… 2… 3…
Oh, Shepherd #2 you had your eyes closed. Lets try this again…
I can only imagine how comical that whole scene would be and now the nativity scenes as we usually set them up will always ilicit a little giggle from me – as irreverent as that may be;) Thank you again, Tanner. I LOVE my nativity set up Tanner-style.
Jana, you totally crack me up. I can’t stop giggling thinking about the “picture pose!!!!” You can take your act on the road!!!!
no doubt! that is a funny one jana… i think we will ALL set up our nativities (and email their pics to melissa) a little differently from this year on. 🙂
(and doni, YOU won’t actually set yours up differently now… tanner has stolen that honor from here on out if i know you well enough) 🙂
Moved to tears is right! How precious to see this through the eyes of a child and how correct Tanner is in his set up! I find such delight in when our children reflect what they have learned 🙂 On the way home from my parents this evening looking at the many CHRISTmas lights and decorated homes, my oldest, Damien 7 years old, said mom I love all the lights that people put out for Jesus’ birthday. Truly brought a tear to my eye that my 7 year refers to CHRISTmas as what it truly is, Jesus’ birthday.
May we all see the simplicity of life though our children’s eyes, what wonderful miracles we have been given.
In Him,
Denise
Truly priceless Doni for both boys! We are trying to make sure that the boys realize that CHRISTmas is here as well. Way to go Tanner..sometimes it take the innocent eyes of a child to make all of us adults remember that what “looks” better isn’t always best! It also reminds me that while some may know the correct prayer or words of worship to say at any given moment….it is often the inexperienced prayer or thought that moves us overwhelmingly! Thanks for sharing Doni.
Just one word “precious”
Love it.
I have tears — your boys are amazing because they have an amazing mommy and daddy!!