December 17, 2011

December 17, 2011

Dear Ones,

   Merry Christmas!  As I sat snuggled up in the rocking chair at home this morning, wrapped up in a quilt and sipping a very good cup of coffee.  I began contemplating the ornaments that hung glittering and sparkling in the twinkling lights of our Christmas tree.  I thought about how pretty they were and how many memories each of them holds, each one could tell a story. You may have already guessed it but in case you hadn’t our family Christmas tree is not one of those designer ones that you see in the magazines it is exactly what it says it is, a family tree.  As I thought about the memories and the meaning of our tree I began to reflect over a couple other trees that have caught my attention in the past several weeks. 

I was in the Old City of Luoyang enjoying a walk down the street, it is one of those places that I enjoy strolling along and just looking.  On this particular day in one of the shops there was a beautiful artificial Christmas tree trimmed with lights and red ornaments.  Christmas trees are not a common thing to see so I stopped to simply look at it.  The young lady in the shop stopped to talk with me and I commented how beautiful the tree was, she smiled and said "Yes, the company sent it and said to put it up." She then said, "Can I please ask a question?  When do I take it down? They told us to put it up for some holiday but they didn't tell us when to take it down."  We discussed dates and the timing of Christmas and touched a bit on the reason behind the decoration, but as I left I found myself praying for this young woman. 

Then there was the massive tree in the lobby of the Beijing hotel our family stayed at.  I stood at the reception desk waiting for my paperwork and overhearing the conversation of a father and son who stood next to me.  The conversation was in English which always catches my attention and the son who was about 9-10 years old was asking what the tree was for.  His father replied, "That's a Christmas tree." The young boy then asked, "What's that?" The answer was quick and simple, "It's some kind of American holiday thing."   Then they were gone strolling out the lobby doors onto the street where they were swallowed in the moving stream of humanity and all I could think of was, “How can this be possible, how can the only response to, ‘What is a Christmas tree?’ be that it is some kind of American holiday.”  It is not an American holiday it is the birth of the Savior of the World!  And I remembered Matthew 9:36 “Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.” 

The shepherds of Bethlehem would have understood this, they would have known the implications of sheep left on their own.  Maybe that was the reason that God sent the angels to announce the birth of His Son to them or was it simply because they were open and available to listen to the “Good News of Great Joy.”

And then I could not help but think of another family Christmas tree, the  one we recently put up in the lobby of the Big House, the one that is covered with tinsel, lights, and ornaments bearing the photos of so many precious children.  It is like a beacon of Hope shining a different light, the light of the Savior through the eyes of little children.  The staff looks at it and they discuss the children, they talk about the ones who are still here, the ones who are in heaven this Christmas and the ones that are no longer in our care.  They talk of the tree and they ask the meaning behind it all, what a gift to share with them.

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.

Christmas trees, they are all around us and we ooohhh and aaahhhh over them.  But when was the last time you really stopped and contemplated them? Contemplated the wonder of a Savoir who came to seek and save that which was lost?  Do we cry at the thought of a world that thinks Christmas trees are just some American thing?  I hope that as Christmas comes this year each Christmas tree you see will remind you of the wonder of a tiny baby who was born to save the world and the awesome responsibility we have to share the glorious news of that salvation with a world that is dying to know Him.

With love for you this Christmas,

Mariah