A Story You Want to Remember

Sunday afternoon, John and I put up our 36^th Christmas tree. Full of twinkling lights, it’s beautiful. At nine feet (10 ½ with the topper), it is the largest tree we have ever had. Our dog Jake initially eyed it with great wonder as if he couldn’t believe he had his very own tree in the living room. After I gave him strict commands that he is to leave it alone, he is now thankfully ignoring it. As tree trimming goes, we have laughed a lot and been grateful for the whole experience.

As I sat enjoying the view last night, I thought about our first Christmas tree – bought on a budget and with all the giddiness of newlywed bliss. Certainly, it was second biggest tree we’ve ever had. At the time, we lived in a small apartment, and not only did I wonder if we would get it in the doorway, but I also wondered where we would sit when I saw how much of the living area is occupied. The tree wasn’t extra tall, but what it lacked in height, it made up for in girth. It stretched from the front window to the edge of the chairs.

Then as memory lane goes, I remembered the first Christmas tree as parents. It was given to us – because our budget was that tight. John was in seminary, and we had a new baby. Spending money on a tree when we were traveling for Christmas just wasn’t in our cards. Then a friend