Wednesday, July 18, 2007

A Christmas to Remember


Now I know it's July 18, and a far cry for Christmas..... You see, I've just been doing some reminising and thought I would share this very special memory with you. If you happen along my blog please share in this Journey.

A Christmas to Remember
Christmas back in the early days of having our children used to be my favorite holiday to decorate, wrap gifts and celebrate as a family. We never had a lot of money and it would seem that Christmas would always just sneak up on us, leaving us with sparse morsels of would others would consider a very weak attempt.

I remember one year, I believe it was 1995. We had not had the money to buy more than one gift for each other or our two small kids. We barely had enough for a Christmas dinner either. I fretted for weeks before Christmas already. I grew depressed thinking of having nothing to celebrate with.

We did not have a tree at all. I could NOT let the kids have a Christmas without that, so I took out the Christmas lights and the staple gun. I went to work moving the furniture away from the wall were we usually put a tree. I shaped and stapled lights up on the wall and added some tinsel and bulbs. Soon we had a tree! Matthew thought it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Rebecca just giggled and it did my heart good to see joy in their faces.

Steve too, was feeling pretty down about this particular year. He came home from work and walked through the door and saw the tree of lights on the wall. The look on his face was one of disbelief! (I still wonder what he wanted to say about all the staple holes in the wall of our rented house…. )

I placed my sewing cabinet under the light tree. After the kids went to bed, I gingerly wrapped the few things that we had for them to open on Christmas morning and went to bed. The following day we had a special church service that I was involved in. During that service, my eyes were opened and my heart receive a word from God that presents and big meals are not was Christmas was all about. Christ was what we were celebrating! I was so ashamed at my self pity. Steve and I talked about how we both felt after the service and how our hearts were lifted.

Following church that day, we met with family and had a meal together. We came later that afternoon to find on my sewing Cabinet a whole display of gifts and in the fridge fixings for a wonderful Christmas dinner! On the table was an anonymous note just saying “Have a very Merry Christmas!” We never found out who the anonymous gift giver was, but it turned out to be the very best Christmas we ever celebrated! Not just because of the gifts, but because we learned to let go and just celebrate GOD!

Matthew and Rebecca remember that Christmas as the very best Christmas we ever had…. Now that is a precious memory.


Matthew 6:25 (New International Version)

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW! I have heard that story before, but the impact that it left on my heart today was immeasurable. My sister was spoken to by God in such a really cool way! Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. *sniff* Pass me the kleenex please.

Love you Lori!!!

Lisa

gardenkeeper said...

Thank you dear sweet sister of mine. :) love you too!