Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Green (10/22/09)
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TITLE: Our Christmas Tree | Previous Challenge Entry
By Teresa Barton
10/29/09 -
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"Mommy, look at that one!" our eight year old points out a perfectly shaped, yet very large evergreen tree that more than likely would not even fit in our front door!
"Lovely, but a bit too big don't you think?" I inquire.
Hannah tilts her head sideways, eyeing the tree more carefully, "It is pretty big, let's keep looking," as she runs to catch up with her older siblings leaving her father and I behind once again.
As we walk through the cold, watching our breath come out in white puffs every time we exhale, my mind drifts to the nice warm barn awaiting our return to some yummy hot chocolate and homemade cookies. My feet are beginning to lose feeling, but still, we press on, walking further and further away from the nice warm barn.
As traditions go, even though I have an aversion to cold, this has to be one of my favorite. This is just the beginning of the process though. Once the perfect tree is located and hauled back to the warm barn, it is then loaded in the back of my husband's pick-up truck. Once we arrive home, the tree is then carefully erected, lights strung, then our children hang their ornaments that they have received as gifts each year since they were born on the tree. Everything from "Babies First Christmas" to "Elmo" to "Ballerinas and Baseball players" are lovingly hung on our Christmas tree.
"Mom, Dad, over here!" Our son beckons us and waves his arms in a criss-cross motion above his head.
We head in that direction. All four children are standing in front of a tree, admiring it.
"Well?" My husband asks the children.
"This is it!" Hannah pipes up.
I look to the others, "You all like this one?"
"Yes."
"Yeah." Come the replies from our twin daughters, with an enthusiastic nod from our son.
I eye the tree carefully, looking for any gaping holes that would cause an interference with the decorating. Finding none, my husband reaches his hand to the top of it, measuring to make sure it's not too tall.
"You sure?" My husband inquires. The kids all agree it's the one. He looks to me and I nod my approval. He hands my son the hand saw and he lays on his belly on the cold ground and begins sawing as we gather around and watch.
As we wait for our tree to fall from its base, I marvel at the beauty of God's creation. White snow laying atop the green branches make for a beautiful display of contrasting colors. The white reminds me how the blood of Jesus has washed us white as snow and the evergreen reminding me of new and eternal life that Jesus came to give us when He was born in that manger over two thousand years ago.
So, as my son yells, "Timber!", the tree falls to the ground with a thud, knocking all the snow off its branches, we begin our trek to the nice warm barn and embrace the Spirit of Christmas, remembering that God, in a beautiful display of love for us, already has given each of us the greatest gift of all.
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I think I would have deleted the lines about the white reminding her of our sins washed white. It was a bit of a sudden transition for me, and seemed a bit to "preachy" compared to the rest of the story.
The ending, however, wrapped it up perfectly. (Pun somewhat intended) :)