A Colorado “Wilderness” Manger scene! Do you see the Bighorn Sheep? How about the Elk/Deer? What’s that other animal behind the manger? A Fox, a coyote, maybe a mountain lion?….. You tell me.

All these “animals” were made from scrap pieces of firewood. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder I guess. As I was moving the scrap wood one day, I thought to myself, this piece looks like a fox with a bushy tail. Hey, there’s a scrap piece of firewood that looks like a bighorn sheep. (I looked really hard, but couldn’t find a bear or an alpaca in the scrap pile 😉 )

You’ve seen all kinds of manger scenes over the years. They usually have Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus. Most of the time there is a camel, or donkey, or some wise men and maybe even an angel or two. I’ve even seen an manger scene with a cowboy and his horse kneeling in front. Oh yea, and the one where Santa Claus is kneeling in front of the manger. (Not sure how my theology friends deal with that one.)

When I was just a child our church (Shout out to Goodwater Baptist Church) had a LIVE nativity scene. We dressed up as Mary, Joseph, Wise men, Angels, etc.etc. AND WE USED LIVE ANIMALS!! I vaguely remember our mule getting scared and pulling one of the posts down. Seems like some angels fell from the rooftop,……screams,… chaos, spilt hot chocolate…some of ya’ll will have to fill me in on the details. Ha!

In the Colorado Wilderness we don’t have camels. But we do have elk. In this wilderness, we don’t have sheep (like in the Bible), but we do have Bighorn Sheep. In the Colorado Wilderness we don’t have what’s in other parts of the world, but we do have Baby Jesus!!!

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel” (which being interpreted is, “God with us”). Matthew 1:23

Now that’s a Merry Christmas right there! The story is such a mystery! But somehow in God’s Divine way of thinking, He chose to send our Saviour Jesus Christ into this world as little bitty baby. Born in a little bitty stable, lying in a little bitty manger. I got it figured out. God did this so that my little bitty brain could understand that even though God is all knowing, all powerful, and all EVERYTHING,….. He still wanted to be WITH itty bitty me!

If you can see a fox shape in a culled scrap piece of firewood, I’m thinking that you also can see that God wants to be WITH you! If you “see” a sheep or a deer in my wilderness manger scene, I’m thinking that you just look at those pieces of wood an well, there it is. No need to analyze, compare, measure or take a DNA test. You just look and say, “I believe that looks like a fox”!

God chose to send Jesus to Earth as a little bitty baby. HE did this because He wants to BE with You. Such a strange way to wave the world. You can be with God simply by believing in Him. Such a strange way to save your own life.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 Now that’s Merry Christmas right there!

Maybe you yourself need to “Kneel” in front of your own manger scene and tell God that you believe and are thankful that He wants to be with us. God is with us! He’s with us in the good, and the bad. His overflowing peace, joy, and Love is there with us. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas!!

“Dear Jesus, I thank you that you came to Earth to be with all us itty bitty folks. Thank You. Happy Birthday Jesus! I pray for those out there who are dealing with whatever “bad” things that are happening in their lives right now. I ask for the comfort you give, the peace that comes from you, the forgiveness that is needed. I’m so glad that you came to BE with us! WE love You. Amen.”