On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Matthew 2:11

My wife Beth and I have been married for three Christmases. Being that we married in November 2012, my mother took the opportunity to begin one of our first traditions as a married couple. She gifted us the first set of the Willow Tree Nativity series.

Our first Christmas, we proudly displayed the small, central pieces of the Nativity set, Mary holding baby Jesus with Joseph looking on. Each year, my parents have continued to give us another set of participants to add to our Nativity set. As the scene has grown, the Nativity has moved from our mantle, to our entry table, to the desk in our great room.

As we have added to the scene, we have noticed the detail placed on the design of each piece. Whether Joseph, the Wise Men, or the oxen, each and every character is oriented to concentrate its attention on the central piece of the set—baby Jesus.

Likewise, no matter where we have placed our growing Nativity, we have made sure that it is a central part of our Christmas celebration. As we pass by the Nativity scene throughout the days leading up to Christmas, each small piece acts as a visual reminder of the true focus of Christmas—Christ is coming.

Josh Thompson

About the Contributor

Josh and Beth Thompson have been members of First Presbyterian for two years. They are happy to be part of the SPARK ministry and enjoy attending Morning Song each Sunday morning with their son Caleb.