the day my dog almost ate baby jesus

dateline.. December 2004
We have an unwritten rule in the Larson home that Christmas decorating can NOT be started until after Thanksgiving. So typically the first couple days following Thanksgiving we pull out all the boxes of all things Christmas and begin our Larson Holiday Home Makeover. 

Christmas 2004 followed true to form.. as the tree was up, and the decorating began including a big lighted wreath we hung just outside our front door. It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas EXCEPT.. there was no snow in 2004.

Included in ourChristmas decorations is one of those ceramic Christmas villages. Along with this village in our house you will find all shapes and sizes of snowmen, santas, reigndeer.. and even a plastic mistletoe hung in one door way.

We also have several Nativity sets that we put on display and this was never an issue until the infamous 2004 decorating season when our dog Baylie who at the time was about a year and a half old and still liked to chew on items that were not her chew toys. 

You probably see where I am going with this but at the time we set up the Nativity with naivet'e not realizing the risk we placed the shepherds, stable structure, Joseph, Mary and little baby Jesus that comprised our Nativity sets.

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Then that fateful day came when we found our living room looking like a Nativity Mob Kill scene. There was a wooden cart from the stable chewed to bits, there was a shepherd tipped over, and a baby sheep off the table and onto the living room floor. I can’t imagine the horror in these figurine eyes as this monster dog Baylie walked off with Baby Jesus in the clutches of her jaw. 

Good news is this baby Jesus figurine was not harmed. Maybe Baylie simply wanted 'Jesus in her heart' but did not like the texture of the ceramic Jesus figurine, or maybe an audible voice from the Heavens spoke out.. “Baylie.. STOP IT.. This is my beloved son.. DONT EAT HIM!” 

Only Baylie and the figurines know for sure. 

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From this moment in December 2004 Baylie learned God is kind and forgiving thus He did not strike her with lightning over his Nativity foolishness, but .. instead did get her attention in another shocking manner when she decided to chew our Christmas lights cord and was zapped sending her yelping. I believe this was from God.. at least that is the story I am sticking with. 

Moral of the story. If you really love Jesus, and you don’t want to risk your ticket to Heaven being revoked, then don’t put your nativity sets down low enough for Baby Jesus to be mauled by the family dog. 

and.. just like Baylie could not get Jesus in her heart by eating a figurine, neither can become a Christian simply by attending church. 

Note: both the Nativity mauling and the Christmas light shocking stories are true.
Note 2: Baylie is now 10 years older and has learned her lesson. No more eating Baby Jesus, or chewing Christmas lights. Now if I could just get her off of my sofa.

May this Christmas be a peaceful season of adoration and personal faith where Jesus is in our hearts and not just in our nativity sets. 

Blessings

Jeff

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