O Christmas Tree

I'm sitting here looking at the family Christmas tree, and thinking. Christmas trees are kind of like history books, or memory keepers. Most family Christmas trees tell a story of the growth of a family. You might have the couple's first Christmas, Baby's first Christmas, etc... This year our tree is different. Gone are the paper ornaments with glitter and glue, plastic ones with paint runs from unsteady child hands. No more little kids live in this house. Only the best ornaments are now hung with care, although I do kind of miss the character that comes from the ornaments made at Sunday School Christmas parties.

Now the only ones that remain are the ones deemed especially important. Either they match the decor, or they are so steeped in Christmas tree tradition, that it wouldn't be Christmas without them. Yes, I know that Christmas would still happen if the Clear Kneeling Angel was not hanging on a tree branch, but it's always the first ornament to go up every year. On our tree, there are four "Baby's First Christmas" although I don't think any of them are mine, maybe someone else had two first Christmases.

The red sleds with each of the kids' names on them can be easily seen. Years ago mom made those for each of us. I already mentioned the kneeling angel, but two others match it. The dove and the Drummer Boy complete the trilogy of the clear ornaments. All of which are made of plastic, but as a child it reminded me so much of crystal, that I thought it had to be. Those three are always the first to go on, and they must be placed directly in front of a light, so that they glow all throughout the season. There are only three of them, and wherever they came from, we obviously received them before the baby of the family was born.The rest of the tree is filled with ornaments in the shape of Teddy Bears, Trains, Tractors, and Airplanes. Each of the kids had a collection from their "Favorite Aunt Rhonda" growing up, and the multitude of ornaments in each shape is a reminder of this.

Even with the ornaments made in childhood gone from this years tree, it still holds memories. Memories of past Christmases, fill the trees boughs. As I sit here, looking at the tree, and grow more and more Christmasy and nostalgic, I stop. I stop and think about past Christmases. I stop and think about how last Christmas, we didn't know that it would be Jaker's last. We didn't know that so many other things would soon be put into motion that would bend, break, and mold our family. I realize that I don't know what will happen in the next year. Whatever does, I can be confident that, just like this year, God will never leave me. He will still be God, no matter what. And while our Christmas tree is holding memories from last Christmases, it is a reminder of what God has blessed us with, and brought us through.

I think that this year we need a new ornament on our tree. Maybe one that doesn't match, but that reminds me, of this Christmas. This Christmas where I now know, more than ever before in my life, how big God is. I know now, more than ever, to find my hope, peace, joy, and contentment solely in Him. An ornament to remind me what He has brought us through this year. Then years later I can look back and continue to glorify Him for His faithfulness. Like the angels so long ago I can say, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"