Mary Pierce

Listen to some Christmas Encouragement from me to you…

Today’s Laugh: I couldn’t resist “elfing” the family - DaHusband, DaMama, DaDog and me -  just for fun. And I must say, it’s delightful to see DaMama moving like that!

We wish you and yours a blessed and joy-filled holiday season and the happiest New Year ever!

Today’s Encouragement: Here’s a Christmas message I wrote a few years back. Wherever in your life this Christmas finds you, know that you are loved. Merry Christmas!

Feelin’ Scroogey

On a not-too-long-ago Saturday after Thanksgiving, Terry and I wrestled the eight-foot Frasier fir into the house and anchored it in the tree stand. Then Terry brushed the needles from his jeans and headed outside to tackle the outdoor lights—a “guy job” if ever there was one.

“Decorate the tree any way you’d like,” he said as the door closed. A “gal job,” evidently. Bah. Humbug.

I was feelin’ Scroogey.

Decorating the tree with the children had been our annual tradition, accompanied by hot chocolate in special Christmas mugs and the old Sesame Street Christmas album on the record player. (Album? Record player? How old am I?)

We amassed quite a collection of ornaments, adding one each year for each child. And wherever we traveled, we picked up an ornament souvenir. Every ornament had a story.

Year after year I’d told the children those stories, sipped the hot chocolate, and listened to the music. But this year I was decorating solo. This year the nest was empty. And cold. So was my Scroogey heart.

I opened the box of ornaments. The “Katy 1980″ wooden doll ornament looked so much like my daughter back then, right down to the white-blonde string hair.

“Where are you, little stringy-haired girl?” I asked the ornament. Living in the college dorm. Grown up. Gone.

“Humph!” I said as I hung her on the tree.

Next I found the “Betsy 1986″ ballerina ornament, with her toe shoes and tutu. Where was she? Too, too far away. Halfway across the country “finding herself.” Would she ever find herself home again? And where had “Alex 1978″ gone? All grown up and working in another state.

“Bah!” I bawled as I dangled them from the evergreen. I hung up the six white felt star ornaments we’d picked up at a fast food restaurant. That day Terry and I went Christmas shopping with our combined six children–our version of the Brady Bunch. We’d stopped for lunch. The ornaments came with the kiddy meals.

“Kids!” I griped as I stuck them on the tree. “Growing up…just like that!”

I grumbled and mourned my way through the ornament box. Each one made me miss someone or something. I felt more hum-buggy by the minute.

Toward the bottom of the box I found an ornament from a long-ago church Christmas Tea. Each little net bag filled with potpourri and tied with gold cord represented one of God’s gifts to us. The tag on mine read, “Gratitude.”

Humph! I thought. What do I have to be grateful for this year? Left alone in a cold house full of empty echoes of Christmases past. What is the point, Lord?

I looked at the tree. One of several Victorian-style ornaments caught the afternoon sun; its sequins, beads and baubles glinted. These ornaments were survivors from my childhood, given to me year after year by my best friend who was, at that moment, battling cancer. And surviving.

Shining on another branch was a tiny White House ornament Terry and I bought on a trip to Washington a year before his heart surgery. Terry was, at that moment, strong enough to be outside stringing up the lights.

I looked again at those six stars. Our six children were, at that moment, healthy and happy, living life and chasing dreams.

All those years, all those people, all those memories. All those blessings. Our Christmas tree, bearing witness to God’s many gifts to us, and a symbol of His greatest gift—the Christ tree, decorated by God’s Son Himself, for us all.

Jesus, God’s Son—His birth was the point of it all. I took a deep breath. Maybe I did have something to celebrate after all. I began with a whispered prayer.

Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord. Thank You, Lord…

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P.S. I’ll be back on January 5th with more laughter and encouragement for you. Until then, may you be blessed!

TODAY’S LAUGH: Coming home from a recent speaking trip, I caught my sister-in-law (she and my brother had been staying with DaMama) in the middle of cleaning our house.

“I was worried you’d be offended if I cleaned,” she said. “Are you?”

“Heck no!” I said. “I love the smell of Pinesol–especially when someone else is swinging my mop!”

I told DaMama later, “Imagine that! Jeanette thought I’d be offended if somebody else cleaned my house.”

DaMama said, “Does she know any other jokes?”

TODAY’S ENCOURAGEMENT: There are times in life we simply need to graciously accept help from others. But how hard it can be to admit we can’t do it all. I know. I’ve been a Wonder Woman Wanna-Be in life.

But I’m getting over it. I’m learning–thanks to DaMama’s example–to surrender my pride, my stubborn “I can do it all!” attitude and accept help when I need it.

How about you? Still trying to keep it all together? Why not let it go this week–maybe just a little bit–and accept help from somebody else?

Maybe somebody else can bring part (all!) of the next dinner gathering. Maybe somebody else can do some of your holiday shopping. Maybe somebody else can help with cleaning or decorating for the holidays.

Letting others do for you is a little gift to yourself–and to them! So surrender your Wonder Woman fantasy (especially that metal bra) and let somebody help you this week.  You’ll be glad you did!

P.S. UPDATE on DaMama: I’ve been MIA for a few weeks as we adjust to new schedules for DaMama’s care, and the many new helpers (Bless them!) who’ve been coming and going to provide the increasingly “hands on” care she needs. We’re enjoying these precious days together, and taking life one day at a time, which–(Thank You, Lord!)–is all we get anyhow. And one day at a time is plenty, isn’t it?

Thanks for your patience, your well-wishes, and your prayers. Thank you for blessing my life!