O Christmas Tree

As we decorate the Christmas tree, I am flooded with memories of years past. My kids, toddlers, putting all the decorations on the bottom of the tree. My husband and I meticulously decorating our first tree. Placing bulbs on a pine tree with my mother and taking in the heady aroma.

Now I stand with my kids on either side of me and my husband looks on relishing the moment. I decide to savor it as well. Christmas music plays in the background and we take out the ornaments from preschool, first grade, fourth grade, and the bulbs we've had for years. We laugh at some of the ornaments that have seen better days. My husband asks if I have the ones up with the pictures of us, the kids, the pets, and of course the one of my mom. I say they are all there. We hang candy canes, bulbs, and an assortment of trinkets. When we are done, the tree sparkles. But it's not the items on the tree that makes it beautiful, it's the time spent together creating something unique. True, some of the ornaments have been around over 15 years, but the tree never looks the same. And it is the cooperative effort to create the Christmas tree that makes it so beautiful.

The warm glow that fills our heart when we look at the tree comes because of the love that we put into it. So, it's true that the foundation of the warmth of the holiday season comes because of memories of all the years past, but mostly from what happened so many centuries ago when God loved the world so much to send us his son.

This feeling of abundant love is what I want to hold with me as we approach Christmas. As I give it, so it multiplies.