Thankful Christmas

Midweek Study with Pastor Edith
January 10, 2024
Psalm 90:12

Taking down the Christmas tree has never been one of my favorite activities and yet, a necessary one. However, I have some friends who live in a Senior Apartment building who had an 18 foot Christmas tree in the middle of their gathering place, which used to be a gymnasium and they would decorate it according to the different holidays throughout the year. It was an amazing sight. Not sure who the brave one was that climbed an 18 foot ladder to decorate all the way to the top, but I suspect it was not one of the Senior residents .

Something sad happened this year for my friends. After Christmas, when some of the residents popped into the gym for a time of fellowship, the tree was gone. Gone! All the wonderful decorations and all the anticipation of decorating for Valentines day, Easter, Independence Day…gone. Now I’m told it was put into storage for Christmas next year, but still, the gym looks and feels so empty without it, and my friends are very sad. What a way to start a new year.

Some of the folks told me they just cried and cried when they realized the tree was gone. They even apologized and asked me if it was wrong mourning a tree. I suggested that it wasn’t the tree, it was what it represented. For some, it was a symbol of life and hope, for some it had decorations that came with memories of folks that had lived there, but were there no longer. All I could say was that change is never easy, and forgiveness isn’t easy either, but like the necessity for me to take down my tree and, seemingly, the necessity for the apartment manager to take down the 18 foot tree, it had to be done. Don’t know the reasoning behind it all, I just know what’s done is done, and we have to find a way to move on.

I thought about my attitude about taking down my tree; Chore? Frustration with lights getting tangled? Hassel doing up and down the stairs? Or, opportunity to reflect and give thanks for another Christmas celebrated with my family, and yes, being thankful I live in a warm home where I can have a Christmas tree. Psalm 90:12; “Teach us [O Lord] to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Today, I’m seriously thinking about postponing taking down the Christmas tree, though the ornaments have all been boxed up. I think I just need one more day to pray for my friends who know their days are numbered and who need encouragement to walk through these precious days with wisdom-God’s wisdom. I need that encouragement too, how about you?

Amen!