Folks sometime ask me how I get topics for blogging. I’ve got to confess – I start a list of blog topics/stories in the fall and then, most often, I write about the one that catches my attention on that day. And, then there are days when something just has to be told.

Our home was destroyed in the 2014 flood. We have spent the last five years living in our 5th wheel. It was a time of learning and growing. But, it was also the period during which most of our Christmas decorations were in storage. Fast forward to this weekend – all of the Christmas “stuff” is out of storage and is cluttering our main room, waiting for us to set it up.

I have done a few things, but the Christmas trees still are bare. We do two trees: a traditional tree filled with family memories and a Chrismon tree. You may not be familiar with a “Chrismon tree.” It is a tree that is decorated with Christian symbols. Ours is simple in white and gold. We have crosses, stars, angels, etc. It is a blessing to see and to think about what Christmas really means to us – God coming to earth as man, living and giving up His life, carrying our sins to the cross.  Christ gave us the path to become what we were created to be — God’s children enjoying a loving relationship with God Himself.  Looking at our Chrismon tree reminds me of the real meaning of Christmas.

Well, the Chrismon tree has been in storage for the past five years, just like everything else. When we plugged it in, one tiny string of lights near the top and another small string near the bottom came on. That tree needed help!! So, we made a decision that we now regret – we decided to remove the lights from this pre-lit tree. Have you ever done that it? It would have been so much easier (and, based on current hourly wages, cheaper) to just toss the old one and buy a new one.

But, noooooo, we wanted to salvage that old tree. We removed clips, we removed tie wraps, we snipped dead wires, and we accidently clipped one live wire. In the process, the working string on the bottom of the tree died. The line near the top became a stumbling block to finishing the task, so we clipped that one (remembering to unplug it) and took it out too.

In the middle of the project, I ran to the store to get new lights. But, doggone it, when I got home, John was still hard at removing the old lights. (I had hoped that he would be done with that silly project!) Instead, I grabbed the other set of clippers and got back to work.

I have no idea how they make those trees. Somebody works really hard to make sure that every light is well hidden and tied tightly to the branch.

The floor under the tree is now trashed with clips and wires and two small branches that were lost (my fault) in the process. Our fingers and backs are sore. But, the tree is WIRELESS!!

Some things should be left behind.

• Is it time to give up on that tradition that no one but you likes?
• How about abandoning that guilty feeling for something that happened years ago?
• Is it time to quit punishing that loved one?

Take a lesson from my achy back and sore fingers – stop dealing with old and bad stuff –

BUY A NEW TREE!!

Love,

Jill (Just one of God’s kids)

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18-19)