From The Mud Puddle

So we are in the midst of the Thanksgiving weekend here and I sit to type for a few.

Our Thanksgiving began with church on Wednesday night and then a trip to my mother in law's Thursday morning. My husband's parent's live about an hour away, so not so far.

Thursday evening was ours, and we spent it watching TV plus a short trip to Wal-Mart. Friday was ours, and we spent it watching TV and putting up the Christmas Trees. Yes I said trees. LOL. I wasnt sure what we'd find at the lot, and saw this cute little set of trees at walmart. It was a rustic cute set of three small trees that had so much charm. I decided to go ahead and get them to save myself a trip back to Wal-Mart Friday morning. As much as I love Wal-Mart, I do not love it more than my life. I do not love it enough to go on the day after Thanksgiving. The first set we bought was good, but the larger tree somewhat leaned a little, so Thursday night I went back and bought another set to see if it was better. It wasnt, so we kept the first set and we are happy. Anyhow...

So Friday comes and we have the three little trees sitting there, and they are so cute. We thought we might spread them around the house....Have a kitchen tree, and a tree under the phone...and one in the living room. Before we settled on it all, I wanted to take one look at the tree lot from last year. Now we like to buy live trees that we can plant in our yard. Last year's died sometime in July, but the one from two years ago is still holding it's own. I honestly expected that they wouldnt have one in our price range this year. They did, however, and well we decided to buy it. Now what to do with the three other trees...hmm... Well we kept them. I may take one to my mother's before it is all said and done since she doesnt put up one anymore (out of choice)...but I like them all spread around.

The tree in the kitchen, the smallest of them all has my cookie ornaments on it. Now it was weird, because I had bought last year a new set of Hallmark Cookie ornaments after Christmas. I had forgotten all about them until yesterday. So Im sitting on the couch thinking and planning out that the tree in the Kitchen was going to be a kitchen tree with tiny cookie ornaments on it(fake cookies that is..fake cookies I didnt think I had yet)....only considering that I thought I only had 3 cookie ornaments, when low and behold....I opened my ornament boxes and there sat the set of 12 that I bought last year! Nice surprise. That tree is 2 and a half feet tall. Anyway....

The Medium Wal-Mart tree(3+ feet) has become the homemade Christmas ornament tree. I have many ornaments that I've made way back when I was 17...and many my grandmother made that same year on that tree. I also added a few other things my own mother has made though the years. It is a nice homey tree. It sits under the phone in the kitchen (for now...though might be moved to the other side of the dining room if I dont stop twitching over it's location....LOL

The largest tree(a bit over 4 feet) of that set is in the living room beside the tv. It holds our more rustic ornaments. I found these cute metal ones at Michaels, and honestly they remind us of some we bought at Eddie Bauer Home three years ago. I also added the rustic looking pine cone thingies from KMart that we bought last year. I also added a few of the old gas station ornaments that my parents collected as they gassed up the car many many years ago before I was born. Growing up we broke so many of those on the hardwood floors when putting up the tree it's not funny....I do not deserve to even be allowed to hold them, much less enjoy them on my own tree...but thankfully I can.

The live tree (with roots and all stands about 4-5 feet)we bought also is in the living room. It sits in an old fashioned wash tub. It is decorated with all of our momento ornaments....Ornaments of the kids that we have given them each year(one of our traditions...so when they move away from home they can both take a box of ornaments with them that they have collected through the years), ornaments that my husband and I bought on our honeymoon spent in Charleston SC (we were married Dec 20th , 1986) , Ornaments from my other grandmother, ornaments that were given to us by various friends, ornaments that have meanings that are deep and numourous. There is even one from the lady that lived across the street from us growing up, Alma. I miss Alma . She was a precious lady that always looked out for me and my family. She always was available to talk, and when I'd come home from school, if my mom for some reason had not made it back from errands...she would take me in until my mother could get home. Alma would give me pepsi in a GLASS and some cookies. I am getting off topic, but that ornament and Alma have been on my mind since yesterday. Someone different lives in Alma's house now. She and her husband have passed away, and it never will be the same.

I guess it sounds a bit extravagant to have 4 trees....but perhaps...perhaps it is just enjoying God's provision and blessings as He so gives them. They are tiny trees, and fill the rooms with soft light. Christmas is a time of expectation. Expectation of the Advent. Expectation and knowing that God always fullfills His promises. Perhaps as we celebrate with family and friends, we share in all the goodness God has given us. We sing His praises, not our own. We show the world that we are indeed the light. I remember a song we sang in youth group growing up, Pass it own...that would sing...(midi music so you too can sing along -- http://www.friendshipbaptistchurch.com/hymn/bphym287.mid )

It only takes a spark to get a fire going, and soon all those around can warm up in it's glowing...that's how it is with God's love, once you've experienced it...You spread his love to everyone, you want to pass it on.

And today we live in expectation of His return for his bride....Come Lord Jesus Come, until then may we be your light and spread your love and grace until the day you return.