My friend, Patty, and I wandered through the elegant Davenport Hotel yesterday looking at all the beautifully decorated trees. We put out raffle tickets in all the boxes with great hopes (or not) of winning a tree and all the gifts surrounding it.
Lots of Dreaming
What could I do with all the cash? Or a couple of nights at a swanky hotel? I’d love to ride the white waters on the Clark River in Montana. After all, I crisscross that river I don’t know how many times when I ride to visit my daughter and family. Maybe actually being in the water might be a new experience—sometime.
Reminders
The trees are always so gorgeous and imaginative. When I saw the cuckoo clock topping one of the trees, it reminded me of the family heirloom that sits on the wall at my house. My children stop it when they come. I suppose if one is not used to the twice hourly cuckoo bird leaving his nest to cuckoo, it might disrupt your sleep. But I love it. When I hear it at 3 AM, I am eight years old again being comforted that all is well.
Nativity
After spending the afternoon in the glitz of Christmas, I experienced a bit of culture shock while watching the movie “The Nativity” at home last evening. So beautifully filmed, it captured much of what I think might have happened in those days. Imagine Mary and Joseph becoming married in all ways but one in an engagement. Then she is visited by an angel who then asks her to become the mother of the coming messiah. Then the shame both she and Joseph endured.
In one scene, Mary and Joseph were leaving Nazareth among their former friends turning their backs on them. Joseph said to Mary, “They are going to miss us, you know.” I can fully imagine it. I love that scene and the humor in it.
The journey to Bethlehem is portrayed as the difficult trip it must have been. I calculate it would take an hour and a half to drive it. But to traverse on foot over rocks and crevasses, crossing the Jordan River without a bridge and arrive finally at the destination without a place to stay and a birth imminent. How would most of us have fared?
Not to mention the murderous intent of the reigning monarch of the time in his determination to be rid of any threats to his throne. Shudder here!
Joy To The World
In the end, the shepherds crept forth to see the Savior, and the three wise men from the east came with their gifts. This scene brings tears to my eyes every time—especially as the third wise man sets his gift before the Baby King with sorrow on his face, and says, “myrrh, for the Sacrifice.”
How God, our Creator, loves us! To be born into our suffering experience with the express purpose of giving His life in our place. To bring us eternal life, joy, peace and reuniting us in relationship with Him forever!
This is the True Christmas Elegance. Joy to the Word!
Leave a Reply