The Search

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints,and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment,and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:4-5

The search for the right Christmas Tree has always been a challenge in our household. When Emily was small and we lived in Boulder, Colorado, we had friends who had land up in the mountains. They took us up to their land and we hiked around in some of the most glorious scenery imaginable. We picked a tree and as we cut it down the sun began to set. What was a cold December day became frigid. We all ran for our cars, dragging our trees, rosy cheeked and rushing to beat the descending cold. When we had three young girls at home, whether we cut one down or chose one from a lot, there was always a big argument. Tall and skinny, full and fat. It would go on for a long time and we would finally have to find a way to compromise. It was always hilarious and always fully charged, flushed cheeked, full-voiced cold December. We went to look for a tree to cut down yesterday, but the farm we found charged an exorbitant rate for the wrong kind of puny tree. We were sad and frustrated and it was freezing cold, so we didn't liner. We will set out today from our new home, ready to explore the possibilities and challenges to celebrating the season in a new community.

One of the things I have realized is that being in a new place, even when much of it is familiar, is very challenging. I am really not sure where I put all the winter gloves and scarves when we unpacked in the heat of June. It wasn't a priority then, but it sure is now. Those kind of small things can be very frustrating and can lead to melt downs. I had a little bit of one yesterday. Too many small things collided and too may things had been put away without being found. It happens. We are all human and when we try to celebrate Christmas in a new place, it can be so challenging that we can lose perspective - if but for a few moments.

So today, I am committed to finding joy in the morning. Even if we don't find the perfect Christmas tree, settling for what is in front of us is going to be wonderful and fine too. Expectations can get in the way of enjoying and tenderly loving the people around us. May we all rejoice that anger and frustration, tears and sighs are fleeting and God promises to renew and make a home for us right where we are. May this day be a day of trusting Gof to find joy for us, right where we are.