We put up our tree yesterday. We haven't decorated a tree in five years, so pulling out the decorations was surprisingly nostalgic. We don't have a stylish Christmas, with white lights and matching ornaments. I love to see those trees, but I don't want one. We have colored lights and stockings with our names written in glitter. Every ornament we have was given to us. Keepsakes from Asher's first Christmas (when he was six days old), gifts from students, souveniers from our honeymoon and our first trips together, homemade (and so pretty) beaded snowflakes made by friends, and dozens of Santas and snowmen painted by Granny - this is what we have collected, and what is now hanging on our tree. I love it. I LOVE it. I pulled them out and thought about where we've lived, and the people who gave us the ornaments. I used to be more pragmatic about Christmas, grumbling about cost and baking and traveling. But since last year, when Asher was due on Christmas Day, and I spent the entire year waiting for Christmas - since then, I have a new appreciation of the season. I love the traditions, I love picking out gifts, I love the eating if not the baking, I love the glittered stockings, and I love our tree.
My friend Mikkee said recently that her prayer for the season is to follow the example of Mary, and ponder the wonder of God. In Scripture, the last line of the nativity story is, "But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart." It sounds like a transition, some sort of foreshadowing. It's not. Mary's reflection did not motivate her to act (at least not in any way that was recorded); remembering was its own end. I love that God values our thoughts, our reflection. Preachers want to see behavior changed; God wants me to remember what He has done.
Thanks be to God. For Christmas trees and homemade decorations and for His promise born on Christmas.
7 comments:
Wanna come decorate MY tree?
I am the same way. I love the professionally decorated trees in the store but I wouldn't have anything else in my house but my twinkling colored lights and mismatched ornaments from around the world. I even have MY Baby's 1st Christmas.
We use big lights and twinkling colored lights on our tree!
i love mismatched trees :) the last few years my trees have been full of ornaments from around the world...i loved it. this year i dont know if i will have a tree. how sad.
We have colored lights as well. And every ornament we've ever made or been given. Including glass bulbs decorated with puff paint that I made during our first year married....one with the name of our first DOG on it.
Love colored lights ....I use a mix of big bulbs and small ones ...bit of trivia here though ..Back in the early days of lights and right on through the 1950's most lights did not come in multi colored sets ...if you wanted multi you had to buy all different colors red,blue,green etc and mix um up on the tree!!
peace and love this Christmas
Where did the party post go? I SO wish I could be there Sat.
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