The Christmas without a tree

Pin It I was reminded the other day of a Christmas I celebrated while I was a missionary in Litchfield, Illinois a decade ago. I remember this particular Christmas because it was the first year I’d ever celebrated the holiday without a tree. My missionary companion wanted to get one, but I told him about a family I knew back in Washington, the Dixons, who’d celebrated the season without one.

I told him about how they’d instead gathered branches, and with pieces of twine, had constructed a manger they’d filled with straw. I told him how they’d placed their presents to each other underneath the manger—a visual reminder of the greatest gift, the one which was given to us all on this holy night we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

That year, I wanted to do the same thing. So my companion and I collected branches from the neighborhood and constructed a manger for our little flat, garnishing it with white lights to help us remember the true ‘light’ of the world. In the manger we’d placed a careworn blanket and the gifts from our families were positioned below it.


That was the year that I really started to understand the true meaning of Christmas…after all, it’s far too easy to lose oneself in all of the goodies, the beautifully decorated tree, and friends who come a-calling. Sometimes we forget the reason we really give gifts when we’re skirmishing crowds at busy shopping malls and department stores.

The true meaning—and reason—for Christmas I think it is summed up wonderfully by Linus van Pelt, from Charles Schultz’ cartoon, Peanuts.



Let us not forget.

Jerrytown

Pin It There is a musical group I recently discovered which I now love. The band calls themselves, “Jerrytown,” and they have some wonderful songs.

In the light of it being Christmas Day, I wanted to share a wonderful rendition of, “It Came upon a Midnight Clear.”

As I listened to this song, I decided to look up the lyrics and as I did I was blown away…though Jerrytown only sings two of the verses, the others are hauntingly beautiful…

It came upon the midnight clear,
That glorious song of old,
From angels bending near the earth,
To touch their harps of gold:
“Peace on the earth, goodwill to men
From heavens all gracious King!”
The world in solemn stillness lay
To hear the angels sing.

For lo! the days are hastening on,
By prophets seen of old,
When with the ever-circling years
Shall come the time foretold,
When the new heaven and earth shall own
The Prince of Peace, their King,
And the whole world send back the song
Which now the angels sing.

To hear the angels sing



Still through the cloven skies they come,
With peaceful wings unfurled;
And still their heavenly music floats
O'er all the weary world:
Above its sad and lowly plains
They bend on hovering wing,
And ever o'er its Babel sounds
The blessed angels sing.

O ye beneath life’s crushing load,
Whose forms are bending low,
Who toil along the climbing way
With painful steps and slow;
Look now, for glad and golden hours
Come swiftly on the wing;
Oh rest beside the weary road
And hear the angels sing.

I hope that you all have a Merry Christmas.

P.S. You can find three of Jerrytown’s songs here. I especially like, “Big As You Are.”

For you...

Pin It Sometimes life can turn on a dime. We feel that we know what the future will bring and yet, sometimes we are given little surprises...some good and some not so good.

You know who, this one is for you. Never forget that He who calmed the waters and winds is mindful of each one of us.