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Out To Pastor
Working in my office the other morning, I heard some rattling noises on the other side of the house. Being as busy as I was, I didn’t take the time to find out what that noise was all about.
It was around lunchtime, and I was still hearing that noise. I decided to go into the kitchen and see what we were having for lunch, and as I did so, I noticed The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage was in the living room setting up our Christmas tree.
Sometimes, I think it would be really nice if there was a Santa Claus. Every year my parents would take me downtown where Santa Claus was, and I would sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what I wanted for Christmas. I assured him I was a very good boy during the year.
Every year I sat on his lap and told him that I wanted a pony for Christmas and nothing more. He always went through his “ho ho ho” act and I believed he was going to do it for me.
I remember getting up on Christmas day and running into the living room, where my parents had their Christmas tree surrounded by all the Christmas gifts. I looked around the tree then I got up and went to the back porch, looked out, and shouted to my parents, “Where is he? I can’t see him.”
Of course, my parents would say, “What you’re talking about,” and I always responded by saying, “Santa Claus promised me that he was going to bring me a pony. Now, where is that pony?”
The older I got, the more sophisticated my parents’ response to that question was. Usually, it was something like, “Santa might have run out of ponies this year, so you’ll have to wait until next year, and I’m sure he’ll bring one next year.”
Christmas went by, and another Christmas went by, and another Christmas went by, and there was no sign of any pony with my name on it.
I was thinking about this as I was eating lunch. There, the Christmas tree was in the process of being put together for Christmas. One of the routines at Christmas time was to buy a brand-new jingle Bell, usually at her favorite thrift store. As I was looking at the Christmas tree, I noticed there was a space near the top of the tree, but no jingle bell.
I looked at my wife and said, “My Dear, where is the new jingle Bell and why is there a big space on top of the Christmas tree?”
“I guess you never pay attention to what’s going on around here, do you?” Then she laughed a good, merry laugh. “I cannot put the new jingle bell on until the night before Christmas. That has been our tradition for many years in case you haven’t noticed. That space near the top of the tree is where the new jingle bell goes this year.”
I sure do love it when a plan comes together, even if it’s not my plan.
A verse of scripture came to mind, 2 Thessalonians 2:15, “Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.”
Traditions are important, especially those grounded on the Word of God.
