Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas Memories

Where do I even begin?

I've been thinking a lot lately about past Christmases.  We had a guest speaker at church the Sunday before Christmas and he spoke of how sometimes Christmas was a difficult time for people because of bad memories they couldn't seem to get rid of.  I've had some bad ones, myself....but I'll have to say that the good ones have been so much more plentiful!!!  I rarely read the "funny" paper (that's what it was called when I was a little girl) or, the comics in the Sunday paper....but I glanced thru some of them yesterday....and one of them reminded me of the idea that I'd already had for this post.  It showed a couple of kids reading a book of things that their Dad had supposedly written about his past.  So...I wanted to share some of my special Christmas memories:

~~~Back before there even such a thing as an artificial tree, we would go to a gas station near our house  every year and get our tree.  I remember one year in particular...it was sooooo cold.  Mom and my brother and me all 3 stayed in the car while Daddy got out and picked out the tree.   I remember looking out the car window as he would hold up a tree and shake it out so the limbs would fall down and get my Mom's approval.  And...every year....I wanted the tree to stay tall and big and full....and every year they would cut off about half of it before putting it in the stand and bringing it into the house!!!

~~~Every single year....it never failed....my Mom and Dad would get into an argument when they put the lights on the tree....I never understood that at all!!!

~~~Certain ornaments that would go on the tree....some I shared on Wise Old Owl for Vintage Monday....the ones with angel hair....and especially the 3 wise men ornaments!!!

~~~The blue lights that went around the picture window every year.  Oh, how I would love to have that string of lights today....I would use the bulbs to make a wreath so that it would be a reminder!!

~~~How Mom and Dad would send us to the car to wait before we would go to Mamaw's and Papaw's for Christmas Eve.....it took years for me to realize that while we were waiting in the car...."Santa" was leaving us presents under the tree!!!

~~~The year that I got my blue bike that I had hoped and prayed for all summer long!!!

~~~The year I got my Micky Mouse Band (wish I still had that, too!!!)....and my toddler doll (I named her Linda).  She still has all her original clothing....and shoes and socks....and she sits on the bed in our extra bedroom!!!




~~~ Papaw always cut down a cedar tree for their Christmas tree...and Mamaw would mix up "warshing powder" and water....make it real thick....and get a glob in her hand and slide it down the branches to look like snow.  I remember how it would smell when those big bulbs would get that mixture hot!!! 
Makes me smile just thinking about it!!!

~~~As I grew older....and got married....we purchased a Nativity set from Home Interior to have for our Christmas decorations.....and Pappy made a stable for it out of some "barn wood" paneling...and we still have the set and the stable to this day!!!
(packed away so unable to take pics)

~~~So many special memories flood my mind that have to do with Jess and how special she made our Christmas from the time she was 3 months old...up 'till today!!!  Pappy and I have had some "lean" Christmases...but always managed to put gifts on lay-away for Jess....lots of times at Hill's or Whiteway....do any of you remember those stores?!?!?  She has never outgrown her love of stockings....I used to wrap every single little thing that we put into her stocking.  She loved Lipsmackers....and still has a passion for Mallow Cups (right, Jess?)!! :)


(Jess' 1st Christmas - December 1979)



~~~Then....3 years ago....we had an amazing Christmas getting to celebrate with a grandson.....Big Brother was born in July of 2006 so that Christmas was so much fun.



~~~The following year....Christmas of 2007....was very memorable.  Little Bit was born on December 20th....and was taken to Children's Hospital on Christmas Day because his billirubin was so high.  That's a Christmas we won't forget...especially his Momma and Daddy!!! 
He just celebrated birthday #2....can you tell how much he liked his "cookie cake"?




There are so many other things I could list....the year we lost my Dad.  He passed away on December 4th, which made that Christmas very sad.  Last year, we lost Pappy's Mom, and Ms. Ruby was "CHRISTMAS", if you can label a person as such.   She was the epitome of what Christ-mas truly is....giving and sharing and loving.  I wish I hadn't taken that for granted for so many years and had realized it before she was gone.  But....that's all part of the growing and maturing process...especially in our faith in God!!!

So...are you wondering what all of this is leading to?

I've always loved the word "ponder".....and the verses of scripture that speak of how Mary kept and pondered things in her heart.  I'm not sure that men "ponder" as much as women....especially, us Mom's!!
I think about Mary quite a bit, especially this time of year....she was sooooo young to be put in the position she was given....but what an honor. 
God chose her because He saw something special in this young lady.

But...guess what?
The story doesn't end there.
God sees something special in each of us.
Maybe it's taken me almost 55 years to realize that.
But....God loves us soooo much....so much that if we had been the only sinner....
....He would have still sent Jesus to die for us. 
 How humbling is that? 
How precious is that? 
What love that shows!!!!

Psalm 111:2 (NLT)
How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!
All who delight in him should ponder them.

Luke 2:19 (KJV)
But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
(NLT)
But Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.

I'm linking this post to
"With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart"

In His Most Precious Love....and with mine!!!

3 comments:

  1. Thanks for sharing. I remember some of mine but I like Paige, don't remember a whole lot of my childhood. I remember bits and pieces or certain memories. Even today I struggle to remember things my kids tell me what we done years ago or struggle with memories my family may tell. But I thank God I do remember some. Mom seems to call it selective memory, who knows but God does. Love ya.............Robin

    P.S. this is under Tabithas google account.

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  2. Great post! And I always LOVE seeing old pix of Jess...so sweet. Love ya!

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  3. Oh, how I have enjoyed reading every word of this post and all of your special memories! Your little girl is precious and how sweet she has grown up. Love the pictures of your family!

    Thank you so much for linking to my Christmas Album post!

    Sending a heart full of Happy New Year wishes!

    Kindly, ldh

    ReplyDelete

Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16:24