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immy, why did you paint the wall such a depressing color?” Everyone who saw our newly painted living room asked the same question, although some used a different adjective to describe the midnight blue wall. The ancient tan walls had showed all the dings and fading of age. Daddy wanted to make a few changes and we got to work. Daddy put a lot of thought into the color scheme. He finally decided on a soft blue-almost baby blue-for three walls. The fourth wall, the interior one holding the fireplace, he painted a midnight blue so dark it bordered on black. Not even my mother approved of the combination. “You’ll see,” he would reply when asked about his choice. “Just wait.” The months passed, and the questions slowed. Did they lose interest or were they waiting as he asked? Thanksgiving arrived, then December. The Christmas tree took its traditional place in the corner of the living room and we overloaded it with lights, ornaments and tinsel. Only one thing remained to complete our Christmas preparations. Mama brought out the family Nativity set, the same one we’d used for as long as I could remember. She unwrapped and examined each piece. Once she accounted for them all, she headed toward the tree to place the creche and figures on the tree skirt as we did each year. This year, Daddy stopped her. “Let’s not put it down there this year. Let’s put it on the mantel.” “But we always put it under the tree,” Mama said. Daddy shook his head and moved the pieces to the shelf above the fireplace. He positioned each figure around the ancient wooden stable, each one offering homage to the Baby in the little manger. Then he opened a large brown envelope and removed a beautiful star of golden foil. He rolled a piece of adhesive tape in a loop and used it to attach the star to the wall above the stable. “Watch,” he said, and turned out the overhead light. A small adjustable lamp sat on the end table near the couch. He turned on the lamp and twisted its neck until the beam re- flected from the star. The glowing star shone over the stable as Mary and Joseph watched over their newborn. The shepherds neared from the side, following the Christmas star to the birthplace of the Messiah. Wise men approached from a slight distance on the other side, seeking the Baby. Now we understood Daddy’s choice of color for the wall. Against the midnight blue background, the scene took on new importance. Without the sparkling tree lights and tinsel shining above, the star became the illumination for the most important gift in human history. Instead of a decoration, the Nativity became a focus of worship and a reminder of the meaning behind the season. Daddy’s Christmas wall gave us a new way to celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. © 2018 Mary Beth Magee Daddy’s Wall J By Mary Beth Magee www.LOL4.net “ Author/speaker Mary Beth Magee writes cozy Christian fiction, poetry, children’s books and devotions. For more on her writing and training sessions, visit her website at www.LOL4.net . 6 SOUTHERN SENIOR MAGAZINE | Winter 2018 - 2019 S