"When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him..." Matthew 2:10-11
So far the Christmas tree has fallen three times. Fortunately, topples one and two occurred
before any ornaments made their way onto the scene. They did happen, however, after much pulling,
tugging, and holding in an attempt to get that stubborn tree to stand up
proudly in the stand. Fall number three
would be described more as a “crash” than a mere tumble, complete with the
sounds of shattering glass, little boys running in fear, and a mother calling
out in unseasonal cheer.
It wasn’t quite the festive afternoon of tree decorating we
had planned. We were supposed to be
stringing lights, putting up the stockings, and decking the halls. Not sweeping up broken pieces and reassuring
the boys that it was okay to put another handmade decoration on the tree. They shied away from the project and hubby
and I cautiously finished while holding our breaths that it wouldn’t all
plummet again.
After all, you don’t want it all to fall apart at
Christmas….and yet, how often it does. Budgets
descend as the gifts are bought, schedules collapse under the weight of another
party, and spirits depress despite the season.
Somewhere under the piles of crinkled wrapping paper and the platters of
sugar cookies, the love and the joy get buried.
So perhaps rather than letting it all fall apart, we need to
just fall down. Rest in the Reason we
celebrate. Fall down at the manger. Peer in at the Gift from Heaven. Admire the One whose hands created the world
yet takes the broken pieces of ours and makes them whole again. Take some time
to breathe. Smell the hay that holds Him
humbly. Lift up the Name of Jesus. Fall down this Christmas.
