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Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first. The birth of the baby Jesus stands as the most significant event in all history, because it has meant the pouring into a sick world of the healing medicine of love which has transformed all manner of hearts for almost two thousand years... Underneath all the bulging bundles is this beating Christmas heart.”

The Ainsworth Church of the Nazarene involved many of their members in The Live Nativity. Between costume coordinators, animal caretaker, lighting, food committee, scriptures readers, narrators, choir singers, program coordinators, and lining up the cast.

’Twas the night before Christmas When all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads; And Mamma in her kerchief and I in my cap Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap; When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

During the winter at my mom’s house, we have something called “staycations” where we put a mattress on the floor in the living room by the couch. We sleep on it, jump off the couch onto it, we watch Christmas movies on it, and play with our cat on it.

The Ainsworth Free Shoebox Committee, spearheaded by Konny Saner, works all year long to raise money, source donations, and create unique craft items for shoeboxes for children around the world. They work in tandem with Operations Christmas Child through Samaritan's Purse.