.jpg)
At a time when most seem to be thinking of the "how's" of this holiday season, I am going to try and remind myself of all the "whys." I'm hoping that this will encourage YOU to write some of your thoughts and memories of Christmas and what it means to you.
I'll start...When I was a kid we always shared Christmas Day with extended family, namely my cousins. Butch, Marilyn, Vivian, & Kenny. Their parents, Carl & Alberta, and my Dad's oldest sister that we always called Grandma Stoltz (who was really my Aunt) Oh well, that in itself is a long story. Every year my Dad would give my brother and I a few dollars and we would go to the Woolworth's store and buy our gifts for everyone. I don't remember exactly how much we had but it wasn't much more than it would take to buy a Big Gulp drink today. We would walk up those oiled wooden floor aisles, where all the $.05 & $.10 items were displayed. I always went towards the fingernail polish and lipsticks for my teenage girl cousins to start. We would fill our little baskets full of the tiny treasures and buy those ten gifts or so to take them home to wrap and put under the Christmas tree. Can you imagine wrapping a bottle of polish or a tube of lipstick? Thinking back, now I realize why everyone always had such big smiles on their faces while opening them. They would always guess out loud what was inside. Maybe it a purrrr, or maybe it's a pair of slippers, or maybe it's a coat. All the while knowing what it was. The money spent, if any, was not the issue, it was most definitely the effort and thought that the youngest two in the family had invested that counted. I grew up in a close knit, loving, nurturing family where God was known and worshiped. Now, in hindsight I appreciate fully some of the incredible sacrifices my parents made in order that my brother and I have an education that would be an extension of what they believed, taught us through their example, and lived on a daily basis. Some of my most precious memories are remembering my Dad standing in the warm kitchen under the oven hood-light reading his Bible early in the mornings. My Mom would read the Bible through almost every year and sat in her rocking chair in her room always getting excited about something new she had learned while reading through the Old Testament for the umpteenth time. Getting back to Christmas, I've learned that it's not the effects that the holiday season has on us that matters, instead it's the simplicity of the reason for this celebration. Christmas is not all about everything it has become, it is only about one thing, one person. But as our lives become so muddled and blurry, so do times like this. The words of this song say it well, "God sent His son, they called him Jesus, He came to love, heal and forgive, He bled and died, to buy my pardon, an empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives." It isn't a Christmas carol, but the words engulf the reason he was purposely sent to live among us. So, while I am updating my Christmas lists, sending my Christmas cards, and shopping for Christmas presents I am making the "conscious" effort to not loose sight what God must have had in mind long before that day long ago. I pray we don't get LOST in the preparations, except the preparation of our hearts.
I'll start...When I was a kid we always shared Christmas Day with extended family, namely my cousins. Butch, Marilyn, Vivian, & Kenny. Their parents, Carl & Alberta, and my Dad's oldest sister that we always called Grandma Stoltz (who was really my Aunt) Oh well, that in itself is a long story. Every year my Dad would give my brother and I a few dollars and we would go to the Woolworth's store and buy our gifts for everyone. I don't remember exactly how much we had but it wasn't much more than it would take to buy a Big Gulp drink today. We would walk up those oiled wooden floor aisles, where all the $.05 & $.10 items were displayed. I always went towards the fingernail polish and lipsticks for my teenage girl cousins to start. We would fill our little baskets full of the tiny treasures and buy those ten gifts or so to take them home to wrap and put under the Christmas tree. Can you imagine wrapping a bottle of polish or a tube of lipstick? Thinking back, now I realize why everyone always had such big smiles on their faces while opening them. They would always guess out loud what was inside. Maybe it a purrrr, or maybe it's a pair of slippers, or maybe it's a coat. All the while knowing what it was. The money spent, if any, was not the issue, it was most definitely the effort and thought that the youngest two in the family had invested that counted. I grew up in a close knit, loving, nurturing family where God was known and worshiped. Now, in hindsight I appreciate fully some of the incredible sacrifices my parents made in order that my brother and I have an education that would be an extension of what they believed, taught us through their example, and lived on a daily basis. Some of my most precious memories are remembering my Dad standing in the warm kitchen under the oven hood-light reading his Bible early in the mornings. My Mom would read the Bible through almost every year and sat in her rocking chair in her room always getting excited about something new she had learned while reading through the Old Testament for the umpteenth time. Getting back to Christmas, I've learned that it's not the effects that the holiday season has on us that matters, instead it's the simplicity of the reason for this celebration. Christmas is not all about everything it has become, it is only about one thing, one person. But as our lives become so muddled and blurry, so do times like this. The words of this song say it well, "God sent His son, they called him Jesus, He came to love, heal and forgive, He bled and died, to buy my pardon, an empty grave is there to prove my Saviour lives." It isn't a Christmas carol, but the words engulf the reason he was purposely sent to live among us. So, while I am updating my Christmas lists, sending my Christmas cards, and shopping for Christmas presents I am making the "conscious" effort to not loose sight what God must have had in mind long before that day long ago. I pray we don't get LOST in the preparations, except the preparation of our hearts.
2 comments:
Oh, my gosh, Bon - Woolworth's???? That brought me back. I'll have to write something now, but just wanted to say how much I love your words or wisdom and encouragement. I always have since we met SOOOO many years ago. I thank God for our friendship and even though we don't see each other much, I'm thankful for blogs and facebook where I'm able to keep a little more in touch. Love you.
I feel so guilty; I am one of those people who always read your blog but never comment. I'll have to start remedying that! Your blog looks beautiful all dressed up for Christmas, and even though I'm not the best at leaving comments, I always enjoy reading your thoughts. Merry Christmas, Aunt Bonnie!
p.s. we have a Woolworth's here in town, but sadly they are going out of business :-(
Post a Comment