Christmas Meanderings

Tis the night before, the night before, the night before Christmas and I really ought to be heading to beddy bye, but my mind is racing so fast I have to get it all out. We had one of our big family get-togethers tonight. I guess you could say it is the big one. It is my mom's side of the family. We have been getting together since before I was born. As we sat around catching up on new business, we also began to reminisce about the days of old (enter Bob Seger segue here.) I have some very fond memories about this most wonderful time of the year.

As I sat and watched all the children opening presents, I began to compile my Top Ten Christmas Memories List. There are certainly many more that could make the list, but they don't call it a Top Ten List for nothing:

10) The Tellico Hills Candlelight Days- When I was a boy growing up in the Tellico Hills/Fairacres area of town, we started the tradition of making and setting out the paper bag candle lights on Christmas Eve. I know there is a name for them, but I can't think of it now. It was a pain hauling sand and setting them out without catching everything on fire, but they were absolutely beautiful at night when it was all said and done. I don't think they do that anymore over there.

9) The 10-Speed Bicycle Christmas- It was the stereotypical Christmas morning mad dash to the living room... and what should my wondering eyes behold, but a bright shiny burnt orange, Schwinn 10-speed bicycle left by Santa himself. I must have been maybe 8-years-old and it was an adult bike. I think the seat hit me about the shoulder, but that was one bad mama jama. I rode that thing for years.

8) The Hunt For The Perfect Tree- When I was a child growing up, my mom did not do Christmas in the conventional sense. If you know my mother you know that she does not do ANYTHING conventionally. We would load up in my dad's Jeep and head out in search of mom's perfect tree. The perfect tree would be totally bare- no needles, no leaves- we're talking sycamore sapling with a nice shape to it. We would scour the roadsides and both public and private property. Come to think of it- we might have broken a few laws.

7) The Perfect Tree Decoration- Mom would get that bare, round tree that had a nice shape to it and totally wrap it in strips of cotton. Then we would wrap it in gold lights and decorate it with all red and gold ornaments. When it was done it was breathtaking. I grew up wondering why everyone else had Fraser Firs.

6) The Log Cabin Playhouse Christmas- This is going back a few. When I was like 6-years-old, Santa brought me a log cabin playhouse. It was nothing more than cardboard shaped into a house with cut outs for windows and doors and painted brown like a log cabin, but to me it was a palace. It also doubled as the Bat Cave and where Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man, lived.

5) The Scotch Plaid Boxer Caper- After mom got over her white cotton-wrapped Christmas tree phase, she went into a Fraser Fir and Scotch Plaid phase. The tree and everything in the house and outside the house had to have Scotch Plaid ribbon wrapped or tied all over it. One day as my cousin, Jeff, and I were shopping, we found some Scotch Plaid boxer shorts. During the gift opening stage of our aforementioned big family get-together, we got everyone's attention and did a synchronized dropping of the trousers with a dance added in for good measure. Mom was delighted.

4) The Christmas Dad Cried- It was Christmas 2002. My sister, Mimi, had to have major brain surgery to remove a benign tumor in November. My daughter, Ellie, was born on December 6. By the time Christmas rolled around Mimi was back to normal with absolutely no problems other than a pretty funky haircut and Ellie was a beautiful, healthy baby girl. As we clasped hands to pray before our Christmas dinner, dad was overcome by God's provision with all the above and shed a few tears. I had never seen that before in my life.

3) The First Christmas In Our Own House- When you have your own "crib" and you have to get your own tree and do your own decorating with your own wife- that's pretty special.

2) The First Christmas With Ellie- Those of you with children know that every Christmas with your kids is special and they seem to just get better, but that first one, when they are just tiny, is special. For me, Christmas went to a whole new level. You get a glimpse of what God must have felt like to allow His only Son to slip past Heaven's embrace into a lowly manger.

1) The Christmas Paige Sang "O Holy Night" In The Green Dress- The church sanctuary- the lighting- the fellowship- the sound...whew! There was some kind of harmonic convergence and I knew that I wanted her to be my wife.

These are my memories. You have yours. I also know that for many people Christmas carries with it not-so-good-memories because of abuse, or death, or illness, or some other reason. I pray that the Holy Spirit would give you the mercy, peace and grace necessary to redeem this wonderful time of year for yourself. Ultimately, as cliche as it may seem, it is all about Jesus, the greatest gift ever given. May you feel His love for you all over again this Christmas.

Peace.