Christmas tree

Lentil Soup And a Wise Man’s Gift

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 And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 
Matthew 2:11 ESV

“What’s for dinner honey?” I said with a laugh knowing that it would be lentil soup for its third and final performance. During those first years of marriage, our food shopping was a low-cost adventure. So, with Christmas not far away; even putting up a tree with decorations was something we couldn’t afford. That year, Christmas Eve was pay day and at four thirty I waited in line for my check. “Merry Christmas” My boss said winking as he handed me my envelope. “There’s something extra in there for you tonight.”  

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I peeked inside and drew a quick breath in astonishment. “Wow thanks Joe! Merry Christmas to you too” I said amazed at seeing a fifty-dollar bill tucked inside! I drove home through the heavy traffic getting there just before five. “Come on Nancy! Let’s go buy a tree!” I shouted as I ran up the stairs to show her my bonus. Five minutes later we bundled up and drove to a Christmas tree lot where the owner was delighted to sell us a tree for five dollars, just before he closed. Then we raced over to the Woolworth store, where for ten cents each we bought some colored glass bulbs and a string of lights with tinsel. God didn’t have to send the wise men with gifts to make it Christmas; but He did. That Christmas our wise man was named Joe and he left us a special gift on that Silent and Holy Night!

Thoughts While Decorating the Tree

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments 
And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 
1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV
As we put the tree back up again
A bit earlier this year
And bring out our decorations
Little treasures mixed with tears

First will be the manger scene 
Then comes an angel and a clown
They help me to remember friends
While I build our Christmas town 

And I wonder where that past has gone
While I work here all alone
Now, I think I would be kinder
If I had only known

That all that stuff I thought so dear
Along with youth would soon be gone
And only mercy, love and grace
Remain as we move on

Thoughts While Decorating the Tree
by Peter Caligiuri
Copyright 2023 ©
All rights reserved

Our Christmas Memory Tree

/ pastorpete51 / 2 Comments

For God so loved the world that he gave us His only begotten son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life! John 3:16

Our Christmas tree has lights we bought from the store. But and from the angel near the top to the ornaments on every branch the rest are gifts – except the candy canes! Some are home made, like my sister’s sand dollar wreath and the bell made of yarn from our Nepali friends. An Irish porcelain cottage rings with memories of a man named Mark who lived at our home for a year and showed us how to boil and then fry cabbage in butter. The Teddy bear from my nursing home friends reminds me how our hearts are still linked even though a disease has separated us physically this year. Nancy’s mom who had a business of creating home made ornaments gave us enough to fill the branches with soldiers, rocking horses, reindeer and clowns. Memory of each person comes back to me as I hang our precious collection again on the branches. I see again both those Christmases filled with laughter, and surrounded by family as well as the ones when we were alone and struggling with disappointment and conflicts.

Yet the Bible tells us that all through these 2,000 Christmases since Jesus came, how God has given us more than a beautiful keepsake to hang. Instead He gave us his only Son who, hung on quite a different tree than ours. On His tree, He took on all the sin and shame of every forgotten heart. His gift was painted red with blood that flowed down from His hands and feet and a wound just beneath his heart made by a Roman spear.

So in the same way remember the first Christmas night when God sent His angels to wake up the shepherds, that He was also wanting to wake up hearts. God remembered our weaknesses and His promise. Jesus came and from that moment in the stable till with the bread at the Last Supper table, when He said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” God has forever remembered us. God has given us the cross which is His memory tree. If we will look there with eyes of faith we will see the very best gift of Christmas, just waiting to be opened!