BETTER DAYS
The big ole Christmas tree that is around fifteen years old has seen its better days.
I’m not sure if it’s gravity, grandsons, or my physical abuse fighting the sections back into the tattered boxes that have caused the metal arms to fall past level when opened. When you grow up in lean times you learn early and often how to rig things.
I grabbed the sagging metal branches, right fist width, against the trunk, grabbed the middle of the branches with my left and bent the metal arms about six to eight inches up. Viola, the unnatural looking holes vanished like magic.
About eight or ten years ago the lights strands started to go south. Every year since then I’ve had to buy more and more additional strands to fill in the dead spots on the tree.
This year the prongs on the second to the lowest section’s plug fell out like and old beagle chewing on a Christmas hambone. So much for doctoring the ancient tree. This year would entail a complete light overhaul.
After the fifth trip to the local overpriced Ace Hardware, ’cause only a sadistic person would attempt Home Depot, I arrived back at the house with six twenty five foot rolls of new tree light. I broke with tradition and went with the bright white LED’s.
I thought I was going to have extra lights. Turns out there’s really not enough. It’s a budget tree now. Not to mention that no one else in the family likes the bright white contemporary lights. The grandsons love the tree and are awestruck by it… So I added them to “my side” of the bright white light debate.
We talk each year about this one being the last one for the ole Christmas tree, but after all these years with it I hate to turn it out to pasture.
That tree has stood proud over the years for the majority of the kids lives and now their kids lives. I know it’s just a tree, but I love what it stands for.
There are trees all over the world, more real than fake, and while I appreciate their beauty, it’s this tree, our old tree, that stands in tradition yearly as we celebrate the birth of our Savior.
That tree is like me in a lot of ways; it’s patched and repaired. It still stands, but not as tall and straight as it once did. We’ve both seen our better days.
As I look back, the ole Christmas tree reminds me that although a lot of us have seen our better days, the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ means that we have better days ahead… we have perfect days ahead.
Sunday, December 15, 2019 @ 4:35 pm
Floyd, your tree is beautiful, and certainly doesn’t look its age. I happen to love white lights, so I stand with you and your grandsons. This is sooooo true: “the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ means that we have better days ahead… we have perfect days ahead.” Amen! I wish for y’all the best Christmas ever!! ♥
Sunday, December 15, 2019 @ 4:46 pm
That’s a beautiful tree, in a beautiful house!
I gave up on the ol’ Christmas tree when my brother and the kids moved in and took over. I also gave up, as any decorations outside due to my feet not being able to stand on the ladder. I don’t have the money to buy replacement ornaments anyways.
Thank God that in our old age our lights shine even brighter.
Sunday, December 15, 2019 @ 6:53 pm
Speaking of Christmas trees, I knocked my 20 dollar one over last night trying to unplug it. Yep, its about as tall as me, skinny and cheap, cheap, cheap but once you put lights and ornaments on, well, the grandchildren love it. This year I decided and ace did this for me, spray our skinny tree with fake snow, brand new tree. I might keep it a few more years. My wish or goal is to someday buy a six foot grapevine tree with light already on it. There is only one problem, they cost much more then 20 dollars. I am thinking I might try making my own next years by hitting the thrift stores and buy wreaths of different sizes and staking them together. Here is the problem, I am a visionary person, Ace is not so when I present to him something I need help with, he can’t see my vision. I have had many visions that have not worked so I fully understand why he hesitates.
Our 4 year old grandson helped me decorate the tree but he really was waiting for me to do was bring out the two nativity I have. One is just a wooden shed I put to gether years ago, fake dried grass is no long on the roof. Tiny people, but all is there. a year ago we lost baby Jesus but finally did find Him. The other one is plastic, a friend from church gave me, the people legs move, the cow and donkey move a little. WE have lost a few articles of clothing but doesn’t matter. I love, dearly love when all three, 11 year old girl, 8 year old boy get on the floor with the 4 year old brother and play with those two nativities. The two older kids have ask me why our tree has some big holes where there is no ornaments on it. So I give it a little turn and its gone. I remember a year in Papua New Guinea, probably our first year I was not going to put up the little tree I brought, a table top one. We were spending Christmas week out in the jungle in the village with our daughter and family for the first time. So, I just thought, why put what little on I brought out. Then, Ace, Mr. Mercy, said, hon what about the little kids that come by with their parents the weeks we are here. They need to see we celebrate Christmas and for most a decorated tree is part of it. Jesus decorated His tree with His body and His blood and a crown of thorn.
Your tree is very pretty brother but I think your heart for the Lord is the brighter than any lights on your tree. Good post.
Sunday, December 15, 2019 @ 8:04 pm
You have a beautiful tree, Floyd! I’m glad the grandsons agree with you. 🙂 We finally had to retire our old tree two years ago. We upgraded to a tree with built-in lights and Jeff has never been happier; he’s untangled and wrestled with Christmas tree lights for too many years. lol. There are days I’d like to upgrade to a newer body but it’s not time yet. I’ll keep wrestling with this one until the Lord says time’s up.
Monday, December 16, 2019 @ 6:57 am
Great looking tree… Great comparison to self as well… Battered worn, showing its age, but still with a purpose. You can count me on your side of the light choice… I too like the look.
My family has traditionally trekked out into the wintry wonderland (tree farm) and harvested a tree from local families. Every year, we look for the awe inspiring light to rain down from the sky and highlight the chosen tree… This year we made it early and managed to get a nice full tree…
Some years, not so much… but every year, the kids have joined us on this adventure… This year, my adult child who is on his own now came back to join in the tradition.
One I hope we can continue until they begin establishing traditions of their own.
Monday, December 16, 2019 @ 7:25 am
Ooooh Ooooh Ooooh count me on your side!! (hands raised as say that!) I’m a sucker for a well lit tree. We have long ago abandoned the real tree for a fake one. i think we are on our 3rd or 4th Walmart special. Ours are much shorter than yours. We just had to put a new roof on our house after over 20 years of an ancient one (i.e. they no longer make those kinds of shingles) and i would have had to add another floor to accommodate your tree. 🙂 But you have my vote for the lights.