Christmas has always been a special time for our family. I remember as a little girl the wonderful aromas coming from the kitchen as my grandmothers and mom were cooking. The excitement of the soon coming extended family to celebrate with us the joy and laughter. We would be sipping hot chocolate as we decorated the beautiful tree that Dad had cut down.
One year after Jon and I had married, as we always did, we went to Mom and Dad’s for the holidays. As we entered the living room where the normal beautiful tree was the center of attention, we noticed that this one was a bit straggly. Dad with his great ability to embellish on a story began to tell us what happened. “As your mom and I were walking through the woods, I kept hearing, “please pick me, please pick me. I want to be the “Christmas tree” for a wonderful family.” So what were we to do but pick this straggly one, and Mom did wonders making that straggly tree beautiful. It was a memory making Christmas that year with the straggly Christmas tree story.
I am so grateful that when I too was like that straggly tree, undone and in need of a savior God, even before the foundation of the world saw my need and sent His Son, Jesus to this earth to be born in a manger on that first Christmas. Then He grew up to die on an old rugged cross so that I could become something beautiful and live for all eternity in His heavenly home. John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son, so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life.”
Have a blessed and thankful Christmas.

Phyllis