A good year to celebrate Christmas

Yesterday was the day I scheduled to decorate my Christmas Tree. Heather helped me with the lights, what a blessing, but like every other year, as I put the last three sets of a different kind of lights on, all of one of the earlier sets went out. I jiggled bulbs, but no luck. So I decided to just not care whether they worked or not. I was going to enjoy putting on the decorations.
My pitiful fake birds have lost feathers, but I never enjoyed putting them on the tree so much. For while I twisted their wires on the limbs, there were birds feeding from the pear trees in the yard that are encombered with fruit this year.  I thought, thank you, Lord for the joy of being able to see the real birds while I am working.
As I hung the pears and apples, that are brushed with gold paint to imply guilding, I thought of the fruits of the Spirit, God's gifts to us. I wondered why I hadn't thought of these things when I decorated the tree before.  I recalled how last year, I saw a sign which mocked lights as a part of Christmas and I thought, "I wonder what Bible they read? Jesus said he was the light of the world. There was a bright and shining star that led the Magi to his home as a baby.  The shepherds were astonished by a light so bright they could hardly look up when the angels came to herald the baby's birth. The psalmist said: Arise, shine, for the light is come - Psalm 101, I think. Who doesn't know that the birth of Jesus was all about shedding light on this world?
 I came to the new glass ball ornaments I bought on impulse a couple of years ago, which had Bethlehem, the Maji and Mary and Joseph aproaching on donkeys. It seemed so good to have something to put on the tree that so deliberately referenced why Christmas means so much to me. It warmed my heart as I placed each one so it could be seen. I wondered if there might be more ornaments out there somewhere that would glorify my savoir.
I pulled a tiny little ornament out that a friend had made me years ago.  I smiled as I thought of how much her ornament meant to me, as much as any on the tree. She would recognize almost all of the ones that were dressy on my tree, for she was there when I bought them many years ago.  I thought of her and wondered if she was having difficulty celebrating Christmas this year because her mother had passed away. The tiny dried roses fell awayfrom the tiny hand made ornament, after all these years. It seemed almost appropriate that they would. I knew I had to replace them, but this year I hung it just as it was, as I prayed for her. I hoped she would not be in a funk, knowing how much she and her mother  shared in the making of gifts.
I placed my tiny angel atop the tree and was glad she lit.  She has always lit. Every year, dependable. I had forgotten some of the ornaments and I realized just how long it had been that I did this and really loved it. It was the way I had always dreamed decorating the Christmas tree would be. I had anticipated doing it all week, had not let the lights frustrate me, did it patiently - and voila.
I had spent a lovely afternoon with the Lord, praying and loving the memories, good memories...and when it was done, the Lord gave me an unexpected gift. I stepped back and there it was, doubled.  There were two trees before me. The large mirror on the side wall reflected the whole tree and doubled the light and sparkle of the original tree. How lovely...
This was the first year I had put the tree up in the front of the house. I usually wanted it to be in the den. I felt a little selfish, because no one else but we could see it. Since putting it in the front room, I have wanted to spend more time there, and it is truly beautiful reflected in the mirror. Plus as my friends and neighbors come in they can enjoy it too. My closest friends have made a point to say they are enjoying it from the road. Who knew that a simple act of placing what you enjoy in a place where others can benefit would bring blessings to them.
My next door neighbor who knew how much I had wanted to decorate just once while mother was alive, listened as I said how I wished she were here and in her right mind. And she said, "why your mother's wishing you could see hers this year, cause it outshines yours 10 to 1."  We both laughed as I realized that she was right. I would far rather my mother was runing on the streets of gold as to be sitting in a wheel chair grumbling about how long it took me to trim my tree.
Yes this is a good year to celebrate Christmas. 
I , my husband and my friend all miss our mothers.  My neighbors grandbaby just went to join them.  Just as I finished the tree, I hurried to go cook something to carry along with another neighbor to our friend whose grand daughter had passed, and I thought. I can't ask for a better Christmas. WE are living in a loving, giving sharing place in this world.  I am thankful, that Christmas gives us a reason to be united by good things, even in the presence of sad things.  I am so glad a God sent his Son that we can have a common bond, a reason and purpose for living each day of our lives. I am so glad we live in a country where we can celebrate with lights and decorations and friends. We can talk of Jesus and Heaven and Bible..
Yes this is a good year to celebrate Christmas.

Lord, thank you for this.   AMEN