O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

My family and I decorated our Christmas tree over the weekend, and for once, my blood did not boil at any point in the decorating process. Notice – I said for once, which would lead you to believe that my blood HAS boiled while decorating the tree before. Every time the blood boiling occurs during the tree decorating, my mind drifts to those movies we all watch. You know, the ones that make us feel all warm and cozy inside as the characters put up and decorate their Christmas trees in such familial bliss that it brings tears to our eyes. We wonder why our experience can’t be the same. Before you start beating yourself and your family up, for your past Christmas experiences, let me remind you – those families aren’t REAL! They are characters with scripted lines and movements. All that was free, had nothing to do with today’s post, just threw it in there for your extra reading pleasure! ;)

Back to the Christmas Tree –

Aren’t they just pitiful looking when you pull them out of the box, all mashed and mangled? It takes some time to separate the branches, fluff them up, get them all in the right place, put the tree in the stand. OOOH, positioning the tree in the stand, reminds me of a certain blood boiling moment involving my mom, my brother, the Christmas tree, and some duct tape. I believe I’ll not reveal the rest of said story, lest I be excommunicated from my family!

You have to check the lights. Can I just say, God, please bless the person who invented pre-lit trees? Wonderful. Then, once it’s standing, and somewhat resembles the tree, the fun part begins. The garland is draped and swaged across the branches. The star is placed at the very tip top. The ornaments are hung with care, one by one, in just the right place. You work until you can step back and admire the beauty of the tree. As I look at mine now, the lights bring out the sparkle in some of the ornaments, their glitter shining at me across the room. The star at the top is brilliant with its light, and many of the ornaments have a story behind them. An ornament celebrating Our First Christmas Together, Baby’s First Christmas Booties for each of my daughters, an ornament from Disney World, ornaments the girls have made, ornaments special friends have given me, and there are some ornaments hanging on my tree for no other reason than their beauty.

I love to just sit and admire it.

We’re kind of like a Christmas tree. We aren’t in perfect shape when God drags us out of where we were, but He knows the time and effort He puts into us will be worth it if we will allow Him the opportunity. When given permission, He begins unfolding every branch one by one, positioning each to the place He has in mind, He places us on a firm foundation, His Word, so that we don’t topple. He lights us with His love, and once we plug into those little offerings of His love, that star He places atop us is brilliant, shining to people from a distance. As we shine, He begins to decorate us, draping us with the garland of His blood and the righteousness it purchased. We sparkle with the glitter of His touch. He hangs each ornament, many of which have a story from our life to adorn us. Some of those stories weren’t easy to endure, but what came from them just wouldn’t be right on any other tree, it fits perfectly where He hangs it. He can make something beautiful to adorn you from even those things you consider bad. Yes, He hangs some as simple gifts to you and some He hangs for no reason other than the beauty of watching you with it.

And He loves to sit and admire you.

Not just at Christmas, every day.

I hope you know how much He loves you.

I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10




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