My Christmas Forest, Revealed by Glynis M Belec

I've recently had a story published in a Christmas anthology, Christmas with Hot Apple Cider (That's Life Communications; NJ Lindquist,editor).

My story, "The Christmas Forest," is a true account of something that happened a few years ago now. In a nutshell, my husband suggested we replace our real tree and substitute the 'alternate' kind. I was all over him with disapproval, until the forest happened.

I shared in "The Christmas Forest" story, how my real tree was eventually replaced with a myriad of miniatures. Small, Eco-friendly (fake) trees soon filled my home. I had boxes of memories that needed to be hung so tree after tree appeared in my living room. Before long each tree was designated a name, a purpose and a lesson emerged from each.

 And as the trees emerged with meaning, I soon began to see, realize and understand what the Lord was teaching me through it all. The first step was to slow down and breathe in the true meaning of Christmas. God did not really care about a decorated tree. He cared more about the condition of my heart. I knew my next step was to prioritize. To think upon the Blessed birth of the King of kings. I did it and started with the Nativity.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

In my story, I shared the lessons learned from eight trees. Here is a little overview of my trees and lessons learned:

1. The White Tree represents the purity of Christ, the sinless One, the One who creates in us a pure heart.

2. The Teal Tree represents good health and good friends, beautiful gifts from God.

3. The Heart Tree reminds me to be grateful

4. The Learning Tree reminds me about the responsibility I have in teaching others about why Christ came to earth.

5. The Treasure Tree makes me think of the treasure of family and how much I love spending this Holy holiday with them year after year.

6. The Imperfect Tree is a big reminder to me about how Christ was born unto this world to save imperfect people like me.

7. The Leftover Tree reminds me that God picks up our broken pieces and makes us whole again.

8.  The New Tree makes me ponder our new life in Christ. God sent His Son, and that makes me want to sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!”

I like to have the 'New Tree' close to the Nativity scene so that when I glance from the baby in the manger to the tree, I’m reminded of how Christmas is an antecedent to Easter. So much God continues to teach me, year after year.

As I read my story now and as I gaze upon the Christmas external, it causes me to think about my Christmas internal. Joy to the world the Lord has come!

It turns out that the branches of my little forest of trees might not be the real McCoy, but what God teaches me through it all is as real as real could be. My heart is filled with gratitude. Nothing fake about that!

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call

his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. Matthew 1:21

 Glynis lives, loves, laughs and does an awful lot of reading, writing, publishing and praying in her home office.

        How thrilled Glynis is to be part of CHRISTMAS WITH HOT APPLE CIDER - an anthology filled with a wonderful assortment of Christmas short stories, memories, drama and poetry.

                     www.glynismbelec.com

  

Christmas Forest by Glynis M. Belec

My heart friend made me this. It speaks volumes. 

 Today I put up my Christmas forest and decorations. We always had a real tree when the kiddos were home. I used to love the whole process - hubby getting the tree and anchoring it so it wouldn't topple. He would put on the lights and then the kids and I would take over and we would hang all the decorations. At the end, Daddy would lift up one of the kiddos to put on the angel. Sweet memories.

Once the kids grew up and had their own homes and their own Christmas trees, it just wasn't the same. I still said, though, that I would never have a 'fake' tree.

Then one year, I was in a thrift store and saw the cutest little tree. $2.50. I thought that it was about time we downsized and all the fussing with a big tree and the messy pine-needles only detracted from the real focus of Christmas anyway. This small one would do. I bought it.

My white tree. 

Time came to decorate and then I realized I wasn't thinking. I had over 25 years worth of homemade Christmas decorations, along with all the fancy store-bought ornaments. The store bought ones I could pass on, but how could I tuck away all the heart and love that went into creating the homemade ones. Barely any would fit on the cute little thrift store find. So over the next few weeks, I occasionally popped back to the same thrift store in search of more 'cute trees'. I ended up with six sweet little 'fake' firs for decorating then a couple of other minis for the top of the music cupboard and three more for background for our Nativity scene - all for under $20. Gotta' love a bargain.

My blue tree

Now when I decorate, I need to set aside an entire day. I remarked to my hubby this evening, about how long it took me to set up our Christmas forest. When it was the big tree and we did it together as a family it would take a couple of hours from start to finish, and that included hot apple cider or hot chocolate (with marshmallows). Now it seems to take me the entire day. But I know why and I love it. Each of my trees hold special memories. As I carefully unpack and decorate, I reminisce and reflect on the blessings God has lavished upon me over the years.

 There is the white tree. It holds the snowflakes that were made by a patient I cared for in a nursing home. My daughter made me the white angel; a student made me the two plaster circles with the snowflake imprint. My son made the white Styrofoam turtle dove when he was five.

My precious eggs.

The blue tree holds the popcorn strings. They are over 25 years old. I remember the day we made them. The paper gingerbread man was made by another student; the real one by me and then more Styrofoam bells with glitter and pretty drums from my junior munchkins.

Oh those eggs. Those precious egg ornaments - we blew the insides of the eggs out and somehow we cut a hole in the front, put lace around the opening, adorned it with glitter, cotton wool and the tiniest pine cones ever - inside. Seriously how did they not get smashed after 25 plus years? I treasure those two eggs made by eager little hands.

My niece made these almost 40 years ago.

If you look carefully on the blue tree, tucked low down is the fragile Styrofoam 'popcorn' string made by my niece, when she was in kindergarten - she'll be 44 in January.

Love my babies.

My eyes dart to the 'Best Mom' ornament; it's a little bit too heavy to suspend from my little trees. So she sits smiling at me from the base of the white tree. I smile back.

At the entrance way of my forest is my most beautiful memory - the Nativity on the cupboard. It has always been customary for me to set this out first. As I gaze upon the characters, I remind myself to go beyond the beautiful art and to focus on the deeper meaning of this season. I get a little annoyed at the wise men who show up at my Nativity, knowing full well they really were not part of that first Christmas evening in the stable. But I let it pass - it is part of the Christmas story, after all; just a later part.

Reflections on the Moment

God has seen our family through much. Christmas, anymore,  is a hyped up holiday replete with all things worldly and few things based on the Word of God. That doesn't deter me one iota, though. I can't panic about the state of the world. If I do I will go hurtling into judgement and that is not my job. My job is to share the peace and love and joy of the season and to impart the true message of hope in the One who was born that blessed and holy night. I start off doing those things by remembering and treasuring the blessings God has given me (some are displayed in my little Christmas forest.) Next I try my hardest to live what I read in God's word. I seriously try to trust and obey, although I often want to rebel. I close my mouth when I would just as soon release my anger, my know-it-all attitude, my judgement, my vengeance, my self-righteousness. . .and then I bow before the manger and say what can I give You, Lord? My $20 trees are a joke, I know, but all the real memories clinging to those fake branches are part of my heart. I'm thinking those might be some pretty good gifts to give to the King. After all he's in the business of collecting hearts.

My son (and daughter), give me your heart and let your eyes delight in my ways, Proverbs 23:26

To all my writer friends and fine readers - may your celebrations of Christ's birth go beyond how the world defines this blessed season - Celebrate! God Bless you and may you fully enjoy family, friends and Truth. 

Merry Christmas!