The Perfect Christmas Tree

Back in the day, with visions of Martha dancing in my head, our Christmas tree had to be "just right." Everything was matchy-matchy. My earliest theme featured white lights with rose-colored ornaments and beautiful ribbon. Eventually it morphed into tea-themed ornaments. And anything that didn't fit the image of "my perfect Christmas tree"...including our little boys' handmade ornaments...were relegated to their individual trees in their bedrooms.

But at least I had a beautiful tree.

Eventually, something in me began to change. Rather than desiring to portray a "perfect" Christmas tree that would receive accolades and 'oohs' and 'aahs' from friends, I longed to be surrounded by tender reminders of yesterday. I wanted our tree to be a reflection of family and our greatest Treasure. The seemingly imperfect (and admittedly, sometimes ugly) handmade ornaments of yesterday became reminders of growth and change. Because God blessed the little hands that made them. He allowed those little ones to grow and flourish and blossom into young men. To me, those early ornaments are such visible reminders of God's grace.



So these days, our tree is quite the amalgam of beautiful store-bought ornaments and lovingly handmade ones; heirloom ornaments and baby booties; fragile teacups and Elmer's glue specialties. And as each one is placed upon our tree, I recount the stories and the people and the memories with my guys. I pray that all these small symbols of our history remind us where we've been and how God has provided; how He's loved and sustained and carried us through all the changing years and seasons.


May we be purposeful in expressing and living out our heart's greatest Treasure this season.