The Sacraments of Advent

I am part of a "Readers and Writers Salon" (I named it!) which meets monthly.  We write a little something for each other and read it aloud.  It is fun to hear other people's stories and it is always helpful to write and discover what is going on inside of me.

Yesterday I wrote about my Christmas tree and how I put it up "all by myself" this year and how satisfying it was for me.  I have my reading chair beside the tree and have literally spent hours there feeling very comforted by its presence this season. The tree is a mixture of family memorabilia - reminders of places I've lived, Chuck, my children - and symbols of God with a plethora of angels hanging on it.

This morning e I saw the tree itself - its creation and its presence as a sacrament.  By that I mean it is a - to quote the dictionary - "a means of divine grace and a sign of a spiritual reality."  I cannot spend time with it without seeing the many blessings of my long life in the variety of ornaments and the reality of God's grace through it all.  The tree itself is at least twenty years old and it leans slightly forward and would not be anybody's idea of a well designed HGTV inspiration for Christmas.  But this year I understand - it is a sacrament reminding me of God's presence through this time of waiting.

In the same way, I decided that maybe I should send out Christmas cards this year.  Not as a duty or an obligation but as a sacrament - a way to let people in my life know that I care about them, I love them and want to connect with them.  That is probably an obvious understanding of what Christmas cards are about - but I honestly have approached so much of Christmas over the years - as obligation and not fully appreciated the sacramental nature of what it can be - an expression of love and grace to others and a way to remember and experience the love and grace of God.

So maybe - if I get really ambitious - I will make some cookies and pass them out to the neighbors.  To say - it is good to live near you and to be in relationship with you.  As a sacrament of love.  This does not have to be a season of just waiting in the dark for the light to come again - We can engage in the sacraments of the season which will bring me closer to God and to others.  

Here is a picture of my tree followed by what I wrote for the salon yesterday.  

 

 

O Christmas Tree

My Christmas tree  - my artificial, twenty year old Christmas tree !  You have  become a source of blessing and solace  in the midst of this  strange and gray Advent season.

This was the very first year that I put the tree together, the lights on and decorated with ornaments all by myself.  When Chuck was around, he was in the background – at least bringing the tree  in its box up from the basement.  Frequently I would have grandchildren help with the decorations.  We would listen to music and sometimes they would let me tell them sentimental stories about the origin of the ornaments.

But this year, I did it all myself.  I had to bring the pieces of the tree up separately as the box was too big for me.  I managed to place the tree in the stand so that it leans only a little bit – which is pretty much how it always looks.  I placed the lights  exactly where I wanted them and sorted through the ornaments so that only my favorites are on this year.  And when I was done, I went outside and looked at it through the front window with great satisfaction.

It took about three hours and it was extremely rewarding for me.

The ornaments  on this tree tell so much of the story of my life:

There is a a ceramic angel from a church bazaar in Scranton Pennsylvania where Kacey was born

-          And  a  little white lamb purchased at the Golden  Lamb restaurant in Lebanon Ohio  in 1978 where we had holiday dinners with the inlaws when we lived in Lebanon.

-          And A bird sitting in a nest held to the tree by a clothes pin we bought at the Christmas shop in Manteo North Carolina where we vacationed for thirty some years

-          There is a A Chrismon from Karl Road Christian Church An angel given by a friend in Bowling Green Ohio

-          A Red plaid and burlap ornament that has Merry Christmas GRCC 2019 written in marker

There are reminders of Chuck

-          A little Santa figure holding a hammer

-          A large fish with bobbers and lure attached that says “Bud’s Bobbers  - Guaranteed to catch the Big  Ones”

-          A wishbone covered in ribbons created by Chuck who always insisted on saving the wishbone on every turkey

There are family ornaments

-          A picture of 6 year old Audrey in s blue sweater

-          And 4 year old Jackson, And 3 year old Reagan,

-           And a cat ornament with Maggie’s name on it.

I sit and savor the memories that my Christmas tree brings to mind.  It is a touchstone to my past and a comfort in the present.

O Christmas Tree , my Christmas tree  - you speak to me today: This is where you  come from, here are your memories, here is love.