Christmas Tree Love

 

Decorating the tree with a three year old...  I lOVE it! 

How much can one little branch hold?  I guess we'll find out.  Jake was so pleased with himself last night as we decorated our tree.  Our tree (Steve) would never be confused for a designer one, that's for sure, but boy does it have character! 

Merry Christmas!

Ris'n with healing in His wings.

Today as I sat in Relief Society my heart was touched.  I was reminded of John chapter 16:33, where Christ tells his apostles that,  "In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."  I thought of some of my tribulations, and then I looked up and realized I was sitting behind Sister Acuna, who buried a 12 year old son a year and a half ago, and next to me was my sweet friend Jen, who I get to visit teach, who's husband passed away two years ago, their baby was only one.  I thought of my good friend Annette who just had to say goodbye once again to her boy.  I looked around at these sweet sisters who I have grown to love, sisters who carry tribulation with them, some trials are seen and others are hidden in quiet hearts, and I was so grateful to a Savior who has overcome the world.  I was so grateful to a Savior who tells us to be of good cheer and go forward with faith, because He can make unfixable things right.  I'm grateful that he is the steady foundation in a mortal experience that can be difficult and full of tribulation.  I'm so grateful there is a hope and a reason to be of good cheer.  I thought again of my favorite Christmas carol Hark! the Herald Angels Sing, yes, Christ was born that man no more may die.  He was born to raise the sons of earth and he is the source of light and life.  He is the reason Sister Acuna is a pillar of strength and the reason Jen has an infectious laugh even now, and the reason Annette is one of my favorite people on earth.  He is the reason I can be reconciled to God and have joy now and in the eternities to come.  I am so thankful for a Savior who would come and make things right and happy and I'm so grateful for another glorious Christmas season were we can celebrate his birth and life.     

The Hunt for the Tree

And so it has begun, this splendid Christmas season.  Thanksgiving is past and the paper turkeys and feathers, and acorns, and leaves are neatly put away until next year and my heart is ready and excited to get out Christmas.  Yet it seems a little unnatural that December greeted us with a warm 78 degrees.  Hiking for a Christmas tree in shorts and tee shirts doesn't seem right, especially when you've been tree hunting in snow and ice, colder than you ever have been before in your life. 
But we went, and we looked, and our little cut- your -own- tree lot must have felt the heat too.  After three summers of unbearable drought and heat, there wasn't much left.  In fact, there was nothing left, the tree farmer and his wife ended up loosing over 1000 trees, and bulldozed them down to prevent a mass fire.  It was sad, and I wondered again, why do we live in a place that burns your eyeballs out, and ruins Christmas tree farms.  This was not the experience I had visualized in my mind.  However, when I stopped to look it was magical.  It was fun watching the boys run through the vacant dirt, it was fun and Christmasy just being together.  It will be fun to remember driving through some pretty fall country.  And I realized once again, Christmas isn't really about trying to get all the traditions in and forcing all the magical moments I want my kids to have.  Christmas isn't meant to make me panic and worried when things don't turn out the way I think they should.  Christmas, I think is best when we can just be together and have fun and laugh and make the most of the moments we have.  It's best when we can laugh and enjoy even if there is no tree waiting for us.  This hunt of ours was a good reminder for me of what was really important.  It was a good reminder to have, before I once again delve into the season.

 The hunt begins

 

The hunt ends...

We ended up buying Steve from Lowes. (our boys like to name the tree, so this year, Steve, will adorn our family room)  It was Ike's turn to make the final decision and he chose a nice, tall, fir.  And so we will decorate him and love him and I will remember to calm down and enjoy the fun moments we will share as a family this holiday season even if (and assuredly many will) they play out a little different than I think in my mind they should.