The Pagan Tree

It is only the 10th of November and yet for the past two days I have been dragging down boxes and boxes of beautiful Christmas ornaments (junk) to put on the pagan Christmas tree that I had my poor husband almost get a hernia trying to lift up the back stairs. Then for hours and hours I have climbed up and down and moved repeatedly a huge ladder in order to decorate the pagan tree. Grandson #1 has asked every time that he passes through the room, "MawMaw, why are you putting the tree up so early? It isn't even Thanksgiving yet!" Yes, I agree, why am I putting this monster of a tree up so early? Maybe I am trying to desensitize myself to its intruding presence and all the memories of Christmases past that it represents. Maybe I am trying to force myself to get in the right spirit of the season. Maybe I just have so much to get done over the next few weeks that this three day weekend seems to be the only time of peace and quiet to get it done while the kids have gone with other relatives for the next few days. Maybe it is a little bit of all those reasons but nevertheless, the monster pagan tree that was almost the death of me to get decorated was finally put into a "choke hold" and wrestled into submission, I mean it is finally decorated and I can now check that off the list of a thousand things to get done!!!!! Happy dance! Happy dance! And all you scoffers who are snarling up your nose at the idea of a Christmas tree being up for Thanksgiving, just know that I will be out there shopping with no worry of having to get that stupid pagan tree up after gorging like a wolverine on Thanksgiving day! Bwah ha ha ha! (there goes that evil little laugh, again!)

I decided to use all of the ornaments from our Jesse Tree and our Living Christ Tree that we've used for an advent activity in the past on the big tree this year. The kids like to search for certain ornaments on the tree once it is decorated so I decided that we would use our books that go with the other advent activities and read the scriptures for the ornament and then let the kids see if they can find where it is on the tree. That way we can focus on only one advent activity this year.We will be using "The Names of Christ" ornaments with the service activities inside for our advent project this year. 

 I decided that if we have to have the pagan tree at least all of the decorations will remind us of the true reason that Christmas is celebrated. This is my favorite tree of all because I have eliminated everything Santa,snowman,reindeer,elf,etc. and totally decorated it with JESUS!

 And a reminder that loved ones who have died are not lost but will be resurrected when the Savior comes again...Love is ETERNAL. Christmas is about LOVE. "For God so loved the world, that he sent His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.---John 3:16

"Still at last, dear Lord,

I come to you,

Weary from the busyness of a thousand things which

clamour for attention

But longing to feel your touch afresh

This Christmastime.

Kindle in me

A love for you

which finds time for you

which responds to you

which yearns for your return.

Cause my heart to leap for joy

As I anticipate that great fact of the future-

Your re-entry to earth.

Pour into me the certainty that believes

That all life is to be lived under the shadow

of that miraculous return.

The courage to live life your way

And the resilience to hold on to that hope

When times are hard

Or my body tired.

Bring me to Christmas Day

Not irritated with the commercialization with which

it is surrounded

But rather, rejoicing in the message of the angels

To me

Today

Is born

My Saviour

Hallelujah!

---author unknown