Christmas is a beautiful time of year. People everywhere, from all walks of life; celebrate some form of Christmas. Homes become filled with colorful decorations, and the Christmas tree filled to the brim with shiny ornaments and trimmed just so.
But there is another kind of ornament we should think about throughout the year; the people who have adorned our lives and decorated our walk with God.
For instance, take my Granny Elsie; she was a feisty little woman who said and did just about anything she pleased in her later life. And stubborn? Oh yes she had her moments. She was a poor woman most of her life, but she was rich with the love of her family and friends; people who admired her honesty and feisty ways. Her honesty, goodness, became the ornament she left me when she died.
Then there’s my Grandma Dorothy; she was a soft-spoken women who was the essence of a Christian woman. She taught Sunday school for over 25 years; faithfully attended her ladies Bible study, and simply never had a bad word to say about anyone. Gentleness; that is the ornament she left me when she died.
Now I must tell you about my Mom and Dad; they were married 47 years when Dad passed away. They brought up four children during the turmoil of the 60’s and 70’s in a college town. Granted each of us children gave them a challenge unique to ourselves; but none of us surrendered to the temptations of the era. In the time when divorce was the “in” thing, my parents loved each other and stayed married 47 years! They have given me the ornaments of love and faithfulness.
And then there’s my sister Chryle; as we were growing up we fought like cats and dogs. But now, as adults, we are the best of friends. Her patience and kindness never cease to amaze me. In addition to running a daycare out of her home for over twenty years, she is the wife of an outdoorsman and the mother of two boys, now adults themselves. This means she’s been a ‘hockey Mom,’ a ‘baseball Mom,’ and a ‘soccer Mom’ and she’s the fisherman/hunter widow in season. Not only that her ‘family’ has included at cat, two dogs, a guinea pig, a hamster, numerous fish, and a turtle. All of these things pull her in different directions; but through it all she has patience and manages to show love and kindness to each of them. And that is the ornament she has given me; one filled with kindness and love.
Now about my friend, Becky; she is a true Christian friend. I know she’s the kind of friend who will be there for me; whether it’s to share a laugh, a cry, or a hug. I know I can count on her friendship. No matter what road the Lord leads each of us down; I know that Becky is ‘only a phone call away.’ When I look in her eyes I can see the joy and peace of God emanating from within. God’s Joy and Peace, those are the ornaments I’ve received from my friend.
Ken and Robin were two friends that God sent into my life for a season; and it was one of the toughest seasons of my life. Between the two of them I have seen Galatians 5:22-23 come to life.
What about you? What about the people in your life? Take a few minutes today to figure out the ‘ornaments’ they have given you. Then take a few more minutes and thank God for them and their ornaments. After all, family and friends are the ornaments of life.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Christmas is a beautiful time of year. People everywhere, from all walks of life; celebrate some form of Christmas. Homes become filled with colorful decorations, and the Christmas tree filled to the brim with shiny ornaments and trimmed just so.
But there is another kind of ornament we should think about throughout the year; the people who have adorned our lives and decorated our walk with God.
For instance, take my Granny Elsie; she was a feisty little woman who said and did just about anything she pleased in her later life. And stubborn? Oh yes she had her moments. She was a poor woman most of her life, but she was rich with the love of her family and friends; people who admired her honesty and feisty ways. Her honesty, goodness, became the ornament she left me when she died.
Then there’s my Grandma Dorothy; she was a soft-spoken women who was the essence of a Christian woman. She taught Sunday school for over 25 years; faithfully attended her ladies Bible study, and simply never had a bad word to say about anyone. Gentleness; that is the ornament she left me when she died.
Now I must tell you about my Mom and Dad; they were married 47 years when Dad passed away. They brought up four children during the turmoil of the 60’s and 70’s in a college town. Granted each of us children gave them a challenge unique to ourselves; but none of us surrendered to the temptations of the era. In the time when divorce was the “in” thing, my parents loved each other and stayed married 47 years! They have given me the ornaments of love and faithfulness.
And then there’s my sister Chryle; as we were growing up we fought like cats and dogs. But now, as adults, we are the best of friends. Her patience and kindness never cease to amaze me. In addition to running a daycare out of her home for over twenty years, she is the wife of an outdoorsman and the mother of two boys, now adults themselves. This means she’s been a ‘hockey Mom,’ a ‘baseball Mom,’ and a ‘soccer Mom’ and she’s the fisherman/hunter widow in season. Not only that her ‘family’ has included at cat, two dogs, a guinea pig, a hamster, numerous fish, and a turtle. All of these things pull her in different directions; but through it all she has patience and manages to show love and kindness to each of them. And that is the ornament she has given me; one filled with kindness and love.
Now about my friend, Becky; she is a true Christian friend. I know she’s the kind of friend who will be there for me; whether it’s to share a laugh, a cry, or a hug. I know I can count on her friendship. No matter what road the Lord leads each of us down; I know that Becky is ‘only a phone call away.’ When I look in her eyes I can see the joy and peace of God emanating from within. God’s Joy and Peace, those are the ornaments I’ve received from my friend.
Ken and Robin were two friends that God sent into my life for a season; and it was one of the toughest seasons of my life. Between the two of them I have seen Galatians 5:22-23 come to life.
What about you? What about the people in your life? Take a few minutes today to figure out the ‘ornaments’ they have given you. Then take a few more minutes and thank God for them and their ornaments. After all, family and friends are the ornaments of life.
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness and self-control.