A Living Christmas Tree

   Last week I shared about our decision to move to Michigan in order to be closer to family and wrote about trying to “declutter” the house before it was put on the market. Several boxes of items have already been put into the give-away pile, including our big artificial Christmas tree. Even though a few of the branches were missing and needles were falling off the old tree, it was still in good condition, at least for a few more seasons. But the seven foot pine was just too big to take with us to Michigan. 

   It was sad when the battered box was loaded into the car. Christmas just wouldn’t seem the same without that tree lit up in the corner by the living room window, presents hidden underneath, and the house decorated in reds and greens.

   However, instead of moping around the bare house, I’ve been trying to enjoy the living evergreens in our yard on my daily walks with Teddy and TJ, our two dogs. Al has planted dozens of them around the perimeter of the property—Cedar Deodars with their droopy tops and fragrant aroma, Canary Island Pines, Coast Redwoods and a couple of very slow growing Giant Sequoias.

  There is also one special evergreen tree which was given to me by a student many years ago. Just before school let out for the holidays, a little second-grader presented me with a small potted ‘Christmas tree’ wrapped in bright red paper. It was an Italian Stone Pine, or at least the beginning of one!

   We decided to plant the pine tree between two slender Bald Cypress trees, several of which were growing along the edge of the pond in the front of our property. Over the years, it has had to fight for sunlight, with the numerous branches of the deciduous cypress encroaching on its space. In spite of the competition, it has shot straight up, weaving through the two adjoining trees and is now slowing gaining the advantage.

   Who would have imagined that the tiny seedling would grow over forty feet tall, with a diameter of about eighteen inches? Late in the fall, after the cypress needles have turned bright red and fallen off the trees, the Italian Stone Pine really stands out, with its green foliage contrasting to the bare branches of its two deciduous neighbors.

   “Evergreen”—the name reminds me of always being green through every season. Even though I miss the lights, ornaments and cheeriness of our old artificial tree, the living trees have shown me a whole new dimension of getting ready spiritually for Christmas. May I too be “evergreen,” with the gift of salvation through faith in Jesus carrying me through this life and into the next…a living “Christmas tree,” rooted in the soil of the truth of God’s Word; lit up with His light from within; adorned with the Holy Spirit’s ornaments of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control; garlanded around with His grace; and crowned with the star of hope.

   Dear Father, Thank you for the wonderful gift of your Son. Please prepare us to celebrate His birth by changing our hearts so that others might be drawn to You. Fill us with your Spirit of love this Christmas and always. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’ ” Psalm 92:12-15 NIV