Oh Christmas Tree

12.1.13

      Like I said earlier, I usually love Christmas. I usually have the Christmas tree up and decorated and on a timer set to turn the lights on as soon as I walk in the door from work.

      But this year is different. On Sunday afternoon I finally drug the big box with the hole in one of the sides from the pole being shoved into it in a hurry last year into the living room to set up the tree. Alex cut into the box and I told him to "Go slowly." He looked at me with confusion and said, "Are you worried about me cutting my hand?!" and I said, "Of course not, this is just painful..."

      I had dreamed about putting up the Christmas tree with soft music playing and Kaitlyn watching from her little portable swing/crib. I could imagine her dark brown eyes getting wide as she looked at the lights and the pretty colors. Maybe she would dose off as I put it up. I would talk to her and show her all the ornaments that we have collected over the years. We made it our Christmas tradition to pick up ornaments from places we had visited, so there are ornaments from Kenya, New York City, Philadelphia, Ireland, etc.

      I had ordered one ornament this year. It was from the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep organization, the one that Mallie is a part of. It was a simple ornament with their logo on the front and Kaitlyn's full name and date of birth on the back of it. For a good while, that was the only ornament I could put on the tree.

The finished section

      Eventually, I put up these two ornaments my mom had gotten us a few years ago. Two "A"s for our names, and the star was just because I have always loved stars. Looks pretty, doesn't it?

      While I was putting up the tree, there was one Christmas song that just kept popping in my head. I grew up Baptist, and every Christmas Eve our home church does a special service where we sing Christmas carols and hear the Christmas story and everyone lights a candle. There are probably close to 1,000 people at each of the services, and it is breathtaking to hear the carols and see the beautiful lights being lifted up in honor and celebration. 

      The song I kept repeating in my head is "O come, O come Emanuel." Maybe because of the minor key, or maybe because of the yearning that is in the lyrics.

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
And ransom captive Israel,
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear.

Refrain

Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high,
Who orderest all things mightily;
To us the path of knowledge show,
And teach us in her ways to go.

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O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
From depths of hell Thy people save,
And give them victory over the grave.

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O come, Thou Day-spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here;
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.

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O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.

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O come, O come, great Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes on Sinai’s height
In ancient times once gave the law
In cloud and majesty and awe.

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O come, Thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
An ensign of Thy people be;
Before Thee rulers silent fall;
All peoples on Thy mercy call.

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O come, Desire of nations, bind
In one the hearts of all mankind;
Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,
And be Thyself our King of Peace.

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