I'm grateful for Christmas trees
Today I took a phone call from a friend. She works at a second hand store and was helping someone (another friend, actually) look for a nice, second-hand Christmas tree. My friend couldn't remember what the social media page was that had posted a tree to be gifted.....so we discussed how the site had a new name and so she was gonna try again. I was driving so I couldn't check. We hung up and I wondered for a moment why my other friend was shopping for a tree again. You see, I had given her one just Sunday evening. She had a client who wanted to put up a Christmas tree this year but didn't have free money to buy one. I happened to have an extra. I had purchased some small trees from Walmart a few weeks ago to put in the kids' rooms....and I had one left. Turns out Isaac didn't want a tree in his room. I also had some ornaments that I didn't put on any of the little trees. I bagged up these things and she picked them up. She called me right after I hung up with the friend at the store and explained. When she delivered the tree and ornaments to her client, the client loved it so much that she wanted to send it to her family.....she said "where we live in Guatemala they don't have trees like this for Christmas!".....and so the gift moved forward.....and southward.....in Guatemala, it must be hard to find a Christmas tree to put up.
Sunday afternoon our friend David came for lunch. He is a junior at Dordt University studying computer science. David is from Indonesia. He gets to go home Saturday for the first time in a long time and spend Christmas with his family. I asked him if his family had a tree for Christmas, if they decorated.....and he explained to me that in Indonesia there are many religions, not just Christianity. It is hot there. They don't have tree farms to drive to and chop down a tree and take it home and decorate it for the holiday.....I tried to picture living somewhere that didn't decorate for Christmas and I just couldn't. No twinkling lights. no evergreen. No nativity scene, and maybe not even the santa stuff......other religions and other cultures are moving through December.....without Christmas.
The day we went to get our Christmas tree was not a great day. One child didn't want to go and was mopey and unpleasant. That child turned the attitude around by the time we got to the tree farm a half an hour away, over slick and snowy roads.....but then things turned sour for another of our kids and that particular fit lasted a long time. Epic tantrum at tree farm.....and no one really wanted to pose for a family picture after we chopped it down and paid.
So I'm sitting here 2 weeks before Christmas thinking about Christmas trees.....and why we put them up and decorate them......and who finds meaning in them and who does not. Every year my Christmas tree makes me feel nostalgic and full of childhood wonder. Not everything in my childhood was awesome but having a Christmas tree every year was pretty great. Every year we put lights on our Christmas tree and I sit in a dark living room for days and weeks and I enjoy this peaceful place and I actually do consider the Savior born to us in Bethlehem....and how He did come to save the world. and I am grateful that I live in a country that celebrates Christmas.
I understand that many people don't make Christ Jesus the reason for the season here in the USA. I understand that for lots of folks it is about the stuff and the food and the retail......and actually I kind of love that part too....but I love the Jesus part more. I love that He can weave His Holy Spirit in and through it all and not be forgotten, not be denied, not be ignored at Christmas time. He is Lord of Heaven and Earth. He is Lord of the Holiday. He is Lord of Guatemala and of Indonesia and of every beating heart from here to there and beyond. He is Lord of people giving generously to others who have less. He is Lord of gifting and of blessing and of paying attention to humanity. He is Lord of All. He is my Savior, my friend, my King, my confidant and my reason.....and we celebrate His Birthday at Christmas time. (.........and I can't wait.)
Sunday afternoon our friend David came for lunch. He is a junior at Dordt University studying computer science. David is from Indonesia. He gets to go home Saturday for the first time in a long time and spend Christmas with his family. I asked him if his family had a tree for Christmas, if they decorated.....and he explained to me that in Indonesia there are many religions, not just Christianity. It is hot there. They don't have tree farms to drive to and chop down a tree and take it home and decorate it for the holiday.....I tried to picture living somewhere that didn't decorate for Christmas and I just couldn't. No twinkling lights. no evergreen. No nativity scene, and maybe not even the santa stuff......other religions and other cultures are moving through December.....without Christmas.
The day we went to get our Christmas tree was not a great day. One child didn't want to go and was mopey and unpleasant. That child turned the attitude around by the time we got to the tree farm a half an hour away, over slick and snowy roads.....but then things turned sour for another of our kids and that particular fit lasted a long time. Epic tantrum at tree farm.....and no one really wanted to pose for a family picture after we chopped it down and paid.
So I'm sitting here 2 weeks before Christmas thinking about Christmas trees.....and why we put them up and decorate them......and who finds meaning in them and who does not. Every year my Christmas tree makes me feel nostalgic and full of childhood wonder. Not everything in my childhood was awesome but having a Christmas tree every year was pretty great. Every year we put lights on our Christmas tree and I sit in a dark living room for days and weeks and I enjoy this peaceful place and I actually do consider the Savior born to us in Bethlehem....and how He did come to save the world. and I am grateful that I live in a country that celebrates Christmas.
I understand that many people don't make Christ Jesus the reason for the season here in the USA. I understand that for lots of folks it is about the stuff and the food and the retail......and actually I kind of love that part too....but I love the Jesus part more. I love that He can weave His Holy Spirit in and through it all and not be forgotten, not be denied, not be ignored at Christmas time. He is Lord of Heaven and Earth. He is Lord of the Holiday. He is Lord of Guatemala and of Indonesia and of every beating heart from here to there and beyond. He is Lord of people giving generously to others who have less. He is Lord of gifting and of blessing and of paying attention to humanity. He is Lord of All. He is my Savior, my friend, my King, my confidant and my reason.....and we celebrate His Birthday at Christmas time. (.........and I can't wait.)
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