“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.” Proverbs 13:12 HNV

Christmas Tree Gratitude

Walk His Way Revisited

I became ill several years ago and couldn’t be around a lot of chemicals which, needless to say, in our modern world is a bit of a challenge. Interestingly enough though, I was also unable to be around several natural things. A very depressing item was a live Christmas tree, particularly a cut one (I’m guessing because of the sap). So for the first time ever we got an artificial tree, which looking back seems ludicrous that I had no problem with it, another one of life’s ironies. It actually was (is) a beautiful tree, with simulated pinecones, holly berries and pre-strung tiny white Christmas lights. It just couldn’t quite take the place of going to the woods, picking out, cutting down and bringing home our own fresh cut tree, with the hot cocoa, Christmas carols and snow on the ground (if you’re lucky) kind of experience.

As I tried to process yet another way our lives had changed in all this, my loving husband came up with a wonderful idea. Since it seemed to be the sap and the enclosed area that were the biggest problems, why didn’t we go out into the woods with the fresh air and decorate a tree there? So with cocoa and carols, off we went. We hung apples and pinecones rolled in peanut butter and birdseed on string all over the tree. In the end, not only were we able to decorate a live tree, it actually stayed living and we fed the animals as well. A beautiful day, a gift given to me by my husband who was doing whatever he could to somehow help me feel normal. We took a ride back there several weeks later and the tree was bare. There were only strings and licked clean cones hanging off of it—the forest animals had feasted! It had been a win-win.

Although I still have to avoid many things, miraculously, live Christmas trees aren’t one of them. We have since gone out with our youngest daughter, our son, and his daughter—the next generation of cocoa, carols, snow, and wonderful memories.

I will never forget our outdoor Christmas tree. More importantly, I won’t forget the kindness and heart of the person who longed to help me cope with so many life-altering changes. I will forever be grateful.

Dear Lord, help us to be grateful for the things we can do (even if they are different than they used to be), and more importantly, for the giving people around us who show us a way when we can’t see one for ourselves. Amen.