What To Put In The Yard

We have been decorating for Christmas ever since I can remember. Mom and dad always put up lights to celebrate the season of Christmas. All our neighbors decorated somehow. At one point it was almost like a contest between town folk as to who had the most lights or the best decorations. When I got married and moved out I continued decorating for Christmas because my wife’s family also decorated. You could say it was ingrained in us to decorate for Christmas. Each year we would look for the newest thing to put in the yard so that we could be one up on the neighbors. We still have the Nativity scene we purchased back in the early 80’s. We have moved three times since we were married and all the decorations moved with us. About half of my under the house storage is taken up with Christmas decorations. Which brings me to my question, “What to put in the yard?”

Each year I have thought to just keep it simple. One year I purchased lumber and built a stable in the front yard. It looked like a shed. I made sure people passing by could see the baby in the manger. The world between Ivanhoe, Piney, and Ft. Chiswell need to see that baby! How could they drive by and not be affected by my display? I have the whole set; Mary, Joseph, Jesus, Shepherds, a cow, a donkey, an angel, the three wise guys (who by the way, were not there at His birth) but make for a good display. One year I hung a big Cross on the chimney. One year I put snowflakes on the chimney. One year I put lighted deer that moved their heads in the yard with a Christmas tree beside them. I have tried to impress the passersby each year but this year I have decorators block; what to put in the yard? How can I display my Nativity scene in such a way that it will knock people off their horses (like Jesus did Paul) when they go by? This is my opportunity to win a lost world to Jesus, how can I impress them with my display in order to do that? If you have any spiritual discernment about you right now you are thinking, “It is not about decorating or even that plastic baby in that pop crate manger with hay sticking out. Christmas is about Christ; not decorations.”

If you come by our place on Ivanhoe road you may see a Nativity scene in our yard, or maybe a Cross, or maybe we will just put some candles in the windows! Easy to put up, easy to take down! We might have deer that move, or trees that light up, snowflakes along the driveway or lights on the chimney, lights on the house or snowflakes hanging from our trees. One thing you will not see though; Jesus in our hearts. Nothing we can put outside our house will ever show you what is inside our hearts. Maybe I will just put a sign in the yard this year with a spotlight on it that reads, “It does not matter what is in the yard; it’s what’s in the heart that counts.”