I grew up the youngest of eight kids in a loving, but pragmatic, expansive home in a village in SE Missouri in the '50's---headed by my taciturn, rather stern father, an elementary teacher/principal, and my very nervous, stressed-out, time-pressed mother, a stay-at-home-mom (she would laugh at that term---with eight kids what else did one do!). Needless to say, we were nominally rich---well, poor . . . but compared to most homes about us, we were doing pretty well, I guess. As a snotty-nosed, rambunctious, pint-sized urchin I excelled.
Christmas was always thrilling to me as a young child. I realize my recollections are some kind of random, not completely accurate, amalgamation. At some point a few days before Christmas, my dad would cut a cedar for a Christmas tree (I would trail along with my brother in later years to get one). We would decorate the tree with the numerous, accumulated ornaments and trinkets of decades of collecting (seldom do I recall a new one), wrapping it with popcorn chains and paper-ring chains that we kids cut and glued together, making the project a joyous ritual. Hopefully, we could get the lights to work---and what a hassle it was some years.
Presents were limited---typically something like a board game to be shared, a book, maybe a jigsaw puzzle or toy, and several items of clothing. Christmas wasn't glutted with gifts, but the excitement was intense, nevertheless. Food treats and visits from family members (older brother and sisters from afar) lit the atmosphere, making Christmas a glorious, thrilling interlude in a rather uneventful lifestyle. The divinity, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, and the ham---yes! Life almost seemed good. Then, New Year's came. School started up again, leaving the anticipation to center around biding one's time for the all-sufficient "snow" day(s) ahead.
However, Christmas, in our home, was not a focused, Jesus-centered holy day. It was family and food and good will. My mother attended church regularly and was an active member. My father on Sunday mornings read the "Sunday paper" in his rocking chair (or on the screened-in front porch during the summer months). She was "family and love," and he was "knowledge and discipline," in my immature, abridging mind. Eventually, my dad became an attender on a regular basis. As a result, I didn't "find" religion until I was in my thirties. Very slowly, I have come to discern for myself God and His love, forgiveness, goodness, patience, power---the supernatural quality of His existence. All of these compared to our physical weakness and smallness and sinful nature. I have accepted The Way artlessly and innocently through faith alone. Now, I'm able to approach Christmas from a completely different perspective, yet retain many of those typical elements. Merry Christmas to all of you, and I hope each of you can find The Way!
Presents were limited---typically something like a board game to be shared, a book, maybe a jigsaw puzzle or toy, and several items of clothing. Christmas wasn't glutted with gifts, but the excitement was intense, nevertheless. Food treats and visits from family members (older brother and sisters from afar) lit the atmosphere, making Christmas a glorious, thrilling interlude in a rather uneventful lifestyle. The divinity, fudge, chocolate chip cookies, and the ham---yes! Life almost seemed good. Then, New Year's came. School started up again, leaving the anticipation to center around biding one's time for the all-sufficient "snow" day(s) ahead.
However, Christmas, in our home, was not a focused, Jesus-centered holy day. It was family and food and good will. My mother attended church regularly and was an active member. My father on Sunday mornings read the "Sunday paper" in his rocking chair (or on the screened-in front porch during the summer months). She was "family and love," and he was "knowledge and discipline," in my immature, abridging mind. Eventually, my dad became an attender on a regular basis. As a result, I didn't "find" religion until I was in my thirties. Very slowly, I have come to discern for myself God and His love, forgiveness, goodness, patience, power---the supernatural quality of His existence. All of these compared to our physical weakness and smallness and sinful nature. I have accepted The Way artlessly and innocently through faith alone. Now, I'm able to approach Christmas from a completely different perspective, yet retain many of those typical elements. Merry Christmas to all of you, and I hope each of you can find The Way!
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