{"id":29367,"date":"2020-12-12T03:30:28","date_gmt":"2020-12-12T11:30:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=29367"},"modified":"2020-12-11T17:03:40","modified_gmt":"2020-12-12T01:03:40","slug":"december-12-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2020\/12\/12\/december-12-2020\/","title":{"rendered":"December 12, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cHope deferred makes the heart sick, but when longing is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Proverbs 13:12 HNV<\/p>\n

Christmas Tree Gratitude<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Walk His Way Revisited<\/em><\/p>\n

I became ill several years ago and couldn\u2019t 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\u2019m 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\u2019s ironies. It actually was (is) a beautiful tree, with simulated pinecones, holly berries and pre-strung tiny white Christmas lights. It just couldn\u2019t 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\u2019re lucky) kind of experience.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t 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\u2014the forest animals had feasted! It had been a win-win.<\/p>\n

Although I still have to avoid many things, miraculously, live Christmas trees aren\u2019t one of them. We have since gone out with our youngest daughter, our son, and his daughter\u2014the next generation of cocoa, carols, snow, and wonderful memories.<\/p>\n

I will never forget our outdoor Christmas tree. More importantly, I won\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t see one for ourselves. Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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