Oh...the Christmas Tree?

Have you ever just sat quietly and starred at your Christmas tree?

Assuming you will, what does it make you think about?

There was a time in my life where I wanted nothing to do with Christmas trees. Their once joyous presence was replaced by thoughts of bitterness. They held no meaning, right?

I read something yesterday in a book about Christmas. The author did a radio show and a caller ranted and raved about how all of our Christmas traditions are based on pagan practices. By his reasoning, we should throw out our silly traditions since they had no Christian beginning. His argument made sense to me. I think I almost cheered him on as I pondered why we would celebrate something God didn’t originate.

………Or did He??

The author responded with a question: how long the caller had been a Christian. After learning it was half of his life, the author stated, “Then half your life you were not a Christian. If you follow your thinking on Christmas symbols like the tree, then we should toss you and me out of the church because we both have some pagan roots” (25 Days, 26 Ways by Ace Collins).

This sparked my interest in taking a 2nd look at the Christmas tree. So I started starring. At first, all I could think was, “It is pretty.”
I know…DEEP thinking huh?
I kept starring, hoping for inspiration to hit.
It didn’t. So I gave up.
But as I walked into the kitchen I started to hum to the tune of “O Christmas Tree.” That’s when I remembered something my father once told me.

“Do you know what the carol is about, Ang?” he asked one day.  I responded like a 16 yr old: “Ah....DAAAA! It’s about a Christmas tree, dad!”

Remembering, I had to look up the lyrics. Once I read it a couple times, I sat and starred at the tree once more. This time…the meaning was sinking in:
EVER green, EVER faithful, EVER unchanging: shining BRIGHT, how richly God has decked thee!

Can you guess what (or WHO) the tree represents? Can you find the meaning in the shape of the tree, the gifts under it, the remembrances of love it is adorned with, the light it shines and the star above?
I challenge you to take a few minutes today…gaze and wonder. I pray you find what I did!
Here is a little help to get you started:

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging;


Not only green when summer's here,
But also when 'tis cold and drear.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy leaves are so unchanging!


O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me;


How often has the Christmas tree
Afforded me the greatest glee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Much pleasure thou can'st give me.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!


From base to summit, gay and bright,
There's only splendor for the sight.
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
Thy candles shine so brightly!


O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!
How richly God has decked thee!
Thou bidst us true and faithful be,
And trust in God unchangingly.

Merry Christmas OR Ba humbug!??

In 2005, I became aware, as if for the first time, that Christmas can be lonely, grievous, stressful and meaningless for many. Instead of allowing it to bring joy, it feels like a month-long task list with impossible expectations.

Two simultaneous events lead me to a Christmas strike. Event one was loss. When my family refused to reconcile in the face of this loss, I cried and then I hardened my heart. The second event robbed me of the joy of giving. Someone told someone who told me that my heartfelt gifts were not well received. They had a lot of negative things to say about gifts they didn’t want. I became angry, threw my hands up in the air and exclaimed, “Then what’s the freakin’ point?!”

I know…I know. I said, “freakin’”
But even worse, I became bitter and lost my Christmas Spirit. What was once a celebration filled with festivities, anticipation and laughter was reduced to dread. No decorating. No Christmas cards. Why even celebrate this silliness? Christ wasn’t even born on December 25th! I wrapped my presents with torn wrapping paper. Who cares…they are just going to rip it open, right? Go Christmas light gazing? No thanks. Its just a waste of natural resources. Christmas music? Turn it OFF.

So much for a holly jolly Christmas. Ba HUMBUG!

I complained about the overindulged holiday and how America lost the meaning of Christmas. But really, I just used the excuse as a mask to hide my wounding.

This year, my eyes are open and I grieve the lost of those 5 months. I grieve the loss of the opportunity for me to be an Ambassador for Christ during a time when we should stop to remember what matters most.

What changed this year? First, a friend called me on my “Scrooge” attitude. I defended it of course. Then I let her suggestions sink in and decided to do something for someone else with no expectations in return. So I surprised my coworkers by getting to work early and decorating the office in full Christmas attire.

At first, I wasn’t feeling anything. I grumbled a little bit at the garland. But as I hung snowflakes in a hurry before their early morning arrival, I rediscovered the excitement of anticipating other’s joy. O…there was a couple moments of doubt: what if they don’t like the colors? What if they don’t think it’s a big deal? What if…what if?

But in the end, it wasn’t between me and them: it was between me and God. It was about the condition of MY heart.

Then it snowballed. I forced myself to sing Christmas carols. Next thing you know, I was baking, decorating, signing Christmas cards and wrapping presents with love. Each act represented what Christ would do for me….regardless of whether or not I deserved it. And I wanted to do the same for others.

It’s kind of exciting: remembering what Christmas is all about. I feel the anticipation I used to but with a little more “seasoning.” I learned that Christmas isn’t about what’s going on around you but inside you. And we have a CHOICE in the attitude and condition of our heart. For me, this year is about the message of Christ and I have a role to play in sharing it. I plan to continue sharing my re-discoveries here on the blog. Stay tuned! In the meantime I chose to have a merry Christmas!

Good Tidings and Blessings to You,
Angela

Making Promises to Self

Do you know a person that says they are going to do something and they never do? After awhile, you question their committments with, "yeah right" or "I won't hold my breath."  A friend of mine actually started asking his friend for deposits! He said that if he showed up, GREAT! They would spend the money on their time together as planned. But if he didn't show, he would be reimbursed for his time and effort to meet a "no show."

It gets under our skin when words don't line up with actions. We preach the scripture, "Let your yes be yes and your no be no" (Mat 5:37) and drill the importance of keeping your word. But how often do we teach to keep promises to ourselves?

This is a fairly new revelation for me. I was (and still can be) so focused on keeping my promises to others that I often neglect promises to myself. Those people that said "no" to others, I labeled as SELFISH.  For example, I used to give my father a hard time.  He is great at keeping promises to himself.  If he said, “No” to one of our last-minute invitations, I would get frustrated and see him as neglecting us.  Now I realize how important that quality is to someone with an entrepreneurial mindset (you can't build a business on broken promises to yourself).  For all of us,  it is a quality and skill that is to be respected.

On the flip side, I never stuck to anything I set out to do for myself. I was good at killing myself to meet the expectations of others. If I told myself I was going to work out, have quite time or focus on my writing, I would often "skip it" at the last minute. At worst, I thought I was only perpetuating a character of procrastination (which, I could stop at ANY moment…of course). But little did I realize it goes deeper: I was building up a lie I believed in myself that I didn’t matter enough to keep my word...to myself. The lie of unworthiness and helplessness sets in unconsciously and before you know it, you believe “I can’t” change who I AM and the effort to do so is wasted on someone LIKE me.

God values you so much that He keeps every promise He makes. Why would we treat ourselves worse than God and diminish the beloved one He values so much that He sent His own Son to fulfill the greatest promise of all? Psalms 105:8

All this to say, keeping promises to yourself is just as important as keeping promises to others. If you don’t, you send the message that you don’t matter. Repent from the lie that you don’t matter.  Believe instead that you are the worthy son or daughter of God because He has said so. If you are WORTHY of God’s attention, you are worthy of YOUR OWN.