Memories of Christmas Past....

This vintage card stirs memories of several Christmases from when I was 8-12 years old. There was little money most of my growing up years. I loved Christmas time and remember how excited I always got when it was time to practice for the Christmas programs at school. We had several years that we would not have had a tree, if I had not begged for the one from the classroom when we broke for Christmas vacation. After the party in our room, we would un-decorate the tree, and I would drag it all the way across town and proudly drag it through the front door and proceed to get the box of decorations down from the attic. My mom was so embarrased.

I also remember getting "care" packages of groceries delivered to our door..a knock and the gift giver had dissapeared. They can never know how welcomed those groceries were and again, how embarrased my mom was to be the receiver of such kindness. We only had one or two Christmases that I remember there were no gifts. Grandpa and Grandma helped above and beyond what they could afford to help us.

I also remember the yearly search for the gifts that there might be. I only remember one year that they were not found. (I think I might have wrote of this seasonal game in an earlier post). On different years the gifts had been found in the trunk of the car, in most every nook of each closet in the house and even in the attic. The year we could not find them, they were hidden in the bottom of the toy chest...under all the old toys. That was so clever!

I do not feel sad from these events and am very thankful that it taught me how to live with little and appreciate the abundance that the Lord has blessed me with and the family He granted that little girl who still loves Christmas. These gifts that were given by thoughtful givers were precious to me as a child. The most important gift is not the one that is under the tree, or ones those give to one another, but the one that God gave at Christmas.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son; that whosoever believes in Him, would not perish, but would have eternal life." John 3:16

Bill read this poem to us in Sunday School this morning:

Who art Thou.. precious little babe? Nestled in the hay??

God I am, come to earth this day.
Why didsn't Thou come, sweet little babe nestled in the hay?
To die, I came, the price of sin to pay.
Who's sin.. tender little babe.. nestled in the hay?
Yours it was.. that brought Me down today..

Rejoice in what God has done for us! Have a Blessed Christmas!