Charlie Brown Christmas Tree
Before we moved to Maryland, Andrew had a small acupuncture business in Utah for over 2 years. During those two years, we had near zero income. While trying to be supportive of this endeavor, I eventually felt physically ill and spiritually down.
It's hard to write about that season of our lives in a smooth coherent way, gazillion thoughts go through my mind when I look back on that time. But for this post, I am to talk about our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. We always get a freshly cut tree for Christmas, but since we started our business, I just didn't feel like we had the money to buy a tree. The house we lived in wasn't exactly pretty, I wanted to bring some holiday cheer to the house, but physically, I couldn't get out of the dark pit I was in. We had told the kids that year that they probably wouldn't get anything from us, the younger kids said: But we will still be getting presents from Santa Claus right?
One day, I got sick of the gloomy house. That's when the idea of the Charlie Brown Christmas tree to come to mind. I walked outside and broke off a branch of a bush just right outside the house. I put the branch in a pot stuffed with old socks to secure its position and I set out to beautify it with a few ornaments. I wrapped the base with some cotton padding and put some lights under the cotton like light reflecting off the snow. After I finished, I looked at our tree for a long time; a peace came to me, I finally felt Christmas. However bony that branch was, it didn't look sad, standing there illuminating our small end table; it was the prettiest thing in our house. When the kids got home from school, they gathered around the tree to admire it. Their hearts were glad, how they loved that tree!
Christmas did come for our family that year. There were many knockings on the door, upon opening, we found no one but only wrapped gifts laying on the snow, and money people left in envelopes at our door. It was a winter of deep gratitude and humble heart and a deepening of my testimony in many ways. My oldest two girls still remember that Christmas and think fondly of our Charlie Brown Christmas tree. I suggested that we have a Charlie Brown tree every other year no matter our station in life to remind us of that Christmas, and to never forget the blessings brought to us by others. There was no convincing necessary for Jade and Aspen, they remember that Christmas well. But our son doesn't seemed to understand the significance of what happened that winter in Utah, he can't fathom a Christmas without a real tree, so for the past two years in Maryland, we've had real trees. This year, he wasn't given the choice. We went out as a family to collect some fallen branches by the roadside. Now that the Charlie Brown tree is set up and declaring a rightful place in our living room, he has starting to appreciate it.
The real Christmas tree for me will forever be the bare bone branch that I got from outside the door many years ago. I think about that Christmas often, and will forever be grateful for the kindness that was shown to my family. I didn't know how much that experience has shaped me; whatever I do for other people now, I think it has a lot to do with being on the receiving end first, and the understanding that even the smallest kindness and thoughtfulness from others can be the ladder to bring someone out of the pit of despair. I can't think of a better way to show my gratitude to my Savior than to serve, even in the smallest ways.
Christmas time is about loving better and deeper, and the sharing of our blessings. God tries us so that we may be on bended knee and get to know our Savior more intimately . Every trial, sorrow and disappointment is there to make us sufficiently uncomfortable so we can aspire to new heights.
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9 comments:
What a beautiful post! I remember that winter, but I never saw your tree. I love that you're still going to bring that tree back to life once in awhile to be a remembrance. What a lovely tradition.
yeah, that's about the most perfect post i've ever read :o) thanks for sharing your thoughts, and for reminding me of the simplicity of what christmas is really about. i love you!!!
Beautiful, sister! Thank you for sharing and reminding us to be grateful for when we have... AND when we have not.
L
Beautiful!
Seriously, what a wonderful post, thanks for sharing!
...and that's the most gorgeous Charlie Brown Christmas tree ever, but I wouldn't expect anything less from you and your talent :)
So lovely!! (The tree and the insights!)
I pretty much cried when I read this beautiful post. I love the fact that you have your Charlie Brown tree to remind all of us of what Christmas is all about. Thank you for the reminder. This was wonderful. I think it will be great when you are a rich doctor and still put up that amazing tree. Way to be.
Beautifully put my friend! You are amazing!
YOu need to summit your story to the Ensign. It was so beautifully written and something I want to read every year before the Christmas season. You're amazing and I probably don't tell you enough- but I just think you are such an incredible person with such an awesome family. Thanks for being such a great friend and bringing a smile to my face every time I see you!
What a good way of remembering something so hard. Humility is so hard to learn, but it seems we almost always appreciate it, after the fact! I think your Charlie Brown Tree looks like something for a home decorators magazine. :)
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