Arlene recalled her husband saying...
Illustration
Object:
Arlene recalled her husband saying one time that would be the last time he would put up the Christmas decorations. At the time, Arlene explains, those words did not seem to mean anything, perhaps he was just complaining. They had accumulated a lifetime of decorations. One year their granddaughter brought new ornaments for their Christmas tree. Arlene and Henry were nice to her but would rather continue using their old "out of style" decorations. Henry told Sally that each decoration held a particular meaning for them, representing various stages and times of their lives.
Henry became ill in the spring and died at the end of the summer. He was right. That was the last time he would be putting up the Christmas decorations. When the time came to decorate the Christmas tree, it seemed every bulb she touched reminded her of her late husband. She would pause, a tear would form in her eye, and then she would try to continue. She recognized her husband's handwritten notes on some of the decorations. She did not know how she would even make it through Christmas with out Henry.
One morning near Christmas the light from the window shined on a particular ornament. It was the manger scene that their granddaughter had made in Sunday school when she was in first or second grade. Arlene looked closely at it: Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus. It was at that moment she felt peace. She was reminded again of God's plan of salvation in the birth of Jesus. The handmade manger scene reminded her of why we celebrate Christmas. The old ornament reminded her of an eternal truth.
Anna had been a widow for many years, most of her life. We are told that she never left the temple, worshiping every day. When she saw the baby Jesus she "began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."
Henry became ill in the spring and died at the end of the summer. He was right. That was the last time he would be putting up the Christmas decorations. When the time came to decorate the Christmas tree, it seemed every bulb she touched reminded her of her late husband. She would pause, a tear would form in her eye, and then she would try to continue. She recognized her husband's handwritten notes on some of the decorations. She did not know how she would even make it through Christmas with out Henry.
One morning near Christmas the light from the window shined on a particular ornament. It was the manger scene that their granddaughter had made in Sunday school when she was in first or second grade. Arlene looked closely at it: Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus. It was at that moment she felt peace. She was reminded again of God's plan of salvation in the birth of Jesus. The handmade manger scene reminded her of why we celebrate Christmas. The old ornament reminded her of an eternal truth.
Anna had been a widow for many years, most of her life. We are told that she never left the temple, worshiping every day. When she saw the baby Jesus she "began to praise God and to speak about the child to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem."
