Away in a Man-A-ger

By Michele Hoopengardner

It was four days before my youngest son Peyton's birthday and only two and a half weeks before Christmas. We'd just moved to Madison and in all the confusion of the move, some of our Christmas ornaments got misplaced. I have always been fanatical about the Nativity scene in our home at Christmas. I had always tried to have a Nativity in every room of the house. But not that year. We were going to be short because of the misplaced boxes.

Peyton was helping me put the Christmas decorations out and he had a puzzled look on his face. I asked him what was wrong and he said "Mama... where my Tibity?"

I said we only had two that year and we were going to put them in the living room and dining room. He started to pout and said, "My Tibity!"

That afternoon we went to the store and got him his own "Tibity" for his room. To this day, that set has to stay on his nightstand year round. I am so blessed that God has allowed my children to learn that you don't just think about Christ at Christmas.