I reached for it, ready to take it down from the kitchen wall, my last piece of Christmas decor to pack away. I bought two of the same decorations at the Dollar Tree last year, one for my sister and one for me. My sister, she kept hers hanging all year long, even when the temperature outside rose absurdly hot. This year I purchased one for my daughter, a bit of a different look, but the message read the same. My hand lingered in that place that knows sometimes siblings can be pretty smart and don't we all need sticky-notes for the soul scattered around the house, in the garden, in the front seat of the car. Maybe I can tuck it away with the other decorations after 2020, or perhaps when the children in Yemen have enough food to eat every day, or after my grandchildren graduate college, debt free.
I thought back to church on Sunday, the day after Groundhog Day, where snowy white Christmas trees still adorned the stage. It's February! How about a huge red heart dangling from the ceiling? Or potted tulips to line the whole front? Those thoughts that day took me hostage, drove me right down a one-way street, on the wrong side, blindfolded. We sang and voices rose in unison, praise and joy taking center stage, the trees up front shrinking in importance. And I felt this tugging nudge from Jesus. I tried to ignore it at first, raising my voice a pitch louder, but gave up eventually, bent the knee, listened. Everything is OK. All is well. Aren't those Christmas trees just lovely? I think He understands me quite well.
The times are crazy and wild, the world is tilting upside down, hands are wringing with worry I see. But when I gaze at my decoration, I feel that light touch from Jesus all over again, peace and security wrap around me like a child's favorite blanket, the kind with the silk edges, threads coming loose from all that soothing fingering.
Perhaps I will go to the Dollar Tree today and see what they have for Valentine's Day. And if I find a perfect trinket, I will buy three. One for my sister, my daughter and me. And another one for the car.
If you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.
~Ronald Dahl~