Counselor’s Corner - December 16, 2022

Dear Teacher,

Every year at Christmas, since my daughters were toddlers, I have set out a nativity scene.  From preschool-stage to middle-schoolers, these scenes have grown as they have; First Little People figurines, and now a large, life-size wooden set in the yard.  My intention, of course, was to create a hands-on focus of the true meaning of Christmas, allowing the girls to play with the Mary, Joseph, shepherds, and wise men in order to strengthen their understanding of the holiday.  Often, I wondered if they were really 'getting it,' or if it was more like toys to play with, mixed in with the Rudolph, Santa, and Frosty stuffies lying around.

However, my doubt around their message absorption dissipated one day when my youngest was two.  I was in full-on 'Mom-mode,' hustling to prepare a lunch of box macaroni and cheese, steamable veggies, and cut fruit.  As I juggled hungry kiddos and meal prep, I hurriedly opened the refrigerator and rummaged around.  Pushing past the left-over containers, I was surprised to find a non-food item.  There, in the center of my fridge, illuminated by the open door and backlit light, sat a plastic Baby Jesus, sleeping in His manger.  Jesus had been there all along in the dark, closed-off, 25 degree depths of the shelf.  "What is Baby Jesus doing in the fridge?" I asked.  Two little faces turned and looked up at me.  "Did He need a place to stay because there was no room in the inn?" I again queried.  A little two-year old voice responded, "No, Mommy.  I put Him in the fridge to remind me that Jesus is everywhere and always with us."

And you, teacher, can remember it, too.  Whether it be in the dark, cold areas of hurt and trauma in you life, or the bright, illuminated openness of joy and fulfillment, Jesus is there.  He's present in your hurt, pain, and suffering.  He's there for your successes, celebrations, and serenity.  Jesus is always there.  

So this Christmas season, as you celebrate our Baby Savior, I pray that you bask in His everlasting omnipresence -- both in your fridge, and in your heart.
 

Merry Christmas,
Mindy Salyers
Christian School Counselor