Posts
A few years ago, my girlfriend and I snickered behind our Bible study leader's back. It was the middle of January and she had just admitted she still had her Christmas tree standing in her living room. We couldn't believe it. How could anyone still have their Christmas decorations up in the middle of January--ridiculous.
Now I am eating my laughter and my words. It is January 10th and we are just taking down our tree. (Thankfully it's artificial.) The miscellaneous decorations have been piled on our game table for days. I am embarrassed, depressed and humbled the mess.
However, I hear my Jesus whisper to my heart, "Hmmmm, judge not." I had judged her as unorganized and lazy. Now, here I sit in the exact same situation. All those years ago, I should have known this would happen to me, too. It's like when you say, "My child will never do that!" Then your child not only does whatever it is that you so disapprove and does an even better job at it.
So, I am putting way my boxes and trying learn the lesson--again. Never say, "Never."
4 comments:
Hilarious. Our tree is down but the stockings are still hanging! (but that's because mom knitted them and I absolutely love them.)
And I also always thought, I'll never be one of those moms who _______, and here I am doing those things!
I'm in the same boat :) We had to take our tree down - but I still have decorations scattered about the house :)
Have a lovely week!
Blessings,
Kate :)
The only reason I'm not in this situation is because we didn't even put a tree up this year! Nice to see some pictures of your "new" house. Pretty!
Susanne,
I popped over this morning, after reading the P31 devotional and saw this posting, and had to smile. I know that I am so far off the extreme and the spectrum, as I do a very counter-cultural observance of Christmas and all things related to it. My family of origin never put up the tree until December 20 or so, and that was even early for their European immigrant roots. (Scandinavian and Germanic tradition was often no tree until Christmas Eve)
We (broad generalization) have been so duped by the commercialism of our culture where Christmas is up by Halloween in the retail places, that we fail to realize, or don't even know, that in the 'once-upon-a-time' culture where the church and liturgical calendar had more influence, all of December is a time of Advent, a time of barreness and bleakness as the expectant waiting and anticipation, goes on for the Messiah, and the party doesn't happen with all the festivities and trimmings until December 24-25 - the observance of Christmas. Many have already finished the 12 days of Christmas before they really begin on December 26, and go on to Epiphany on January 6.
For my family of origin, our tree and decor was up at least until January 13 when one of my aunts celebrated her birthday. Only then was it time for it all to come down.
I have been married now for more than 30 years, and our family still continues these traditions. This past Christmas, 2008, our tree was a fresh cut that went up on December 20. My husband and I took it down on Friday, January 16, and were sorry to do it because its needles were still so soft and it was still so fragrant. One previous year we had a fresh cut tree that held its freshness for a long time as well, and I just redecorated it with different than Christmas ornaments for January, and then Valentines for February, and after that I took it down. This year, I decided that I didn't have the energy to do that. But I still plan to have snowman themed decor up until early February. Otherwise, in our northern climate that is cold, but without much snow, it is just too dismal and drab for me to maintain a healthy psyche.
Just my two cents worth on your 'I'd never. . .' post.
Post a Comment