From my devotional book "Getting Ready For Christmas."

The Nativity Scene

The next day Susie was excited
as she carried in a crate.
She shouted, “Look, here a manger
don’t you think it’s great?”

Mother said, “That’s a crèche
also a nativity scene.
let’s put it on this table
but first, let’s make it clean.

They dusted it and laid it out
to see what was there
but before they did another thing
they had a little prayer.

First they took a manger
and put it in the center
and left space around it
so the characters could enter.

There were animals all around
cows and donkey and sheep
and in the little manger
was Jesus fast asleep.

Mary knelt behind it
and Joseph stood so tall
and hay was all around
the cozy little stall.


Shepherds knelt in honor
to declare what they had heard
when the angels sang to them
each and every word.

Tim stood back to admire
the picture in their room
and notice how it changed the room
and took away the gloom.

Susie shined a light on the manger
as if it were a bright star
then they walked across the room
to see in from afar.

Dad started singing
a carol they all knew
soon Tim and Susie joined in
because they knew it too.

“Away in a manger no crib for a bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where he lay
The Little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.”