Every year around the Christmas holiday I get a little mushy thinking about my husband. We met just before Christmas 17 years ago....wow it seems like it was yesterday!
I was a single momma working 2 jobs when I met Ted. If our memory serves us correctly, we met Dec 17, and when Ted proposed on New Year's Eve, I said yes....can you believe that?!
With 2 little girls at home, missing their mom as it was, we didn't go out on many dates, Ted just started to hang out with us; helping me cook, reading stories to the girls, playing barbies etc. Some of my fondest memories of the beginning of our relationship are sitting in my living room in my dinky apartment with the Christmas tree lights flashing talking, talking and talking some more.
I love Christmas and I love live Christmas trees. The first year Ted and I were married, I did what I had always done, borrowed my dad's truck, went to the Christmas tree farm with the girls and picked out the fullest tree we could find.
When Ted got home from work I had the tree in the house already and the tree stand all ready for Ted to help me set it up. The look on his face was priceless....I remember him saying "we have a real tree?????" as if it was the most crazy idea ever.
At one time Ted's family may have had a live tree, but in the later years of life, (Ted's dad was 50 when Ted was born) they had an artificial tree, so Ted had no knowledge of setting up the tree, but as I left for choir practice, he vowed that he would attempt to set up the tree.
I started to giggle as I pulled into the driveway and saw the VERY crooked tree through the front window. I tried to keep my face straight as I walked in to a very frustrated husband sitting on the floor in front of the tree.
Upon closer inspection, I saw that my tree was being held up with bungee cords stretched across the room and attached to window sills and things. Try as I might, the eyebrows raised, and I'm sure the "not good enough" look crept onto my face.
Ted claims I picked the world's most crooked tree. If he could chime in here he would tell you that the tree trunk had a 90 degree angle...I have yet to hear the end of it for picking a bad tree.
I'll admit, it wasn't the easiest job, but I spent the following day getting that tree set up minus the bungee cords, and it turned into the most beautiful tree we've ever had. Every visitor and neighbor commented on how great the tree looked....it was truly a beauty.
Today I set up my pre-lit Christmas tree. Once I started my own business, I ran out of time for the live tree set up. Each year as I set up the pre-lit I mourn the live trees of years ago, and it occurs to me today that we have become a society that wants everything EASY and quick
Even in our relationship with God, we want to have those quick prayers, and spend an hour at church on Sunday (you know when the pastor is preaching longer than an hour and everyone is checking their watch? heaven forbid we spend more than an hour a week in worship of our God!)
Why do we as Christians let ourselves believe that easy always = good and hard always = bad? It occurs to me that sometimes the hard things will produce the better results. When you put some time into something, it's just sweeter in the end. You can see the rewards of your time and effort. and there is greater satisfaction.
Isn't it the same with God? The more we study His character, and those stories in the old testament that show us how God worked, the sweeter our relationship with God becomes. The more time we spend in God's word, and in daily relationship with Him, the more in awe we will become, the more we will grow to love him and our faith will increase.
I know how hard it is to get 5 days worth of homework done for this bible study, but so many women are telling me that it is SO WORTH the time and effort. We are growing closer to our Father, and he is blessing our study each week. Praise Him for that!
Maybe next year I'll ditch the pre-lit Christmas and go back to the real Christmas tree that I loved so much. I think it will be worth the extra work.
My comfort in life and death
15 years ago
4 comments:
Don't do it....truly overrated.
Oh, Cathy...
You MUST go for a real tree! The smell in your house is worth every bit of frustration! For this year, though, just get some pine-scented air freshener or candle and pretend until next year!
A little update on our pre-lit tree or should I refer to it as the UN-lit tree. The end of the cord went bad and although Ted promises he will put a new end on it asap, I fear that I will be taking the whole thing apart, spending more money on another tree, and re doing the whole thing. That or sit there looking at a dark tree....it just doesn't have the same effect.
Kathy you'll appreciate this...Ted said "don't we have 2 other trees?!" Ummmmm we did until he burned them in his massive bonfire before we moved. Pyro Ted! sheesh
And remember Cathy and Kathy....you can enjoy picking dried needles out of your carpet until spring. I like the idea of a pine scent.....works for me.
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