Waiting does not seem to be a strength in my household. I would like to say that my kids are the ones who struggle, but it's all of us who struggle to wait. In the book, The Littlest Watchman by Scott James, Benjamin also struggles to wait. His family has been tasked with the job of watching a stump for the "shoot of Jesse" that has been promised to them by the Maker. This book is a wonderful story about expectantly waiting for the best gift. Benjamin goes through an array of emotions as he struggles to find purpose in his job. His father has taught him the importance of being a Watchman and Benjamin knows all the stories that lead up to the waiting. Benjamin finds his job boring-he is supposed to stare at the stump all day. Benjamin is also picked on by other kids in the village. He thinks being a shepherd would be a much more exciting job. (I wonder if the shepherds would agree) He gets distracted by what is going on around him. Then he gets discouraged and doubts. This leads to feeling ashamed. These are all very natural emotions for me while I wait on an answer to prayer or work through a hard season of life. And then Benjamin gets to see the stump change and realizes that his waiting is over. His joy in this moment is wonderfully contagious as he shares the news with his village. What a wonderful story of waiting, the emotions that come with waiting, and the joy found in the answer. What a wonderful story with many lessons we can learn from. This is a great addition to a Christmas library.