Just in case you live in eastern Missouri and don't foresee a visit to your friends up north anytime before Epiphany, here is a picture of our Christmas tree. It's much prettier with the lights glowing, but I can't figure out how to take a picture that does the lights justice and is still in focus.
For those of you who haven't been subject to my angsty phone calls as I tried to figure out what to put on this tree, we don't usually decorate our tree with a color scheme like this. Usually, we put out all of our ornaments, including all those my mother purchased for the sistahs and me while we were at home and all those Dennis and I have purchased during our three years of marriage. Most of them are those German glass ornaments and with a toddler around with a propensity for climbing, we decided to go for unbreakable stuff this year.
Hence this tree with red and white cutwork wooden ornaments, our red wood beads that are on our tree every year, brown jingle bells and a couple of little birds purchased at World Market. It really does look nice and I'm actually enjoying the color scheme thing. And the best part is that while it is really pretty, none of the things on it have been enticing enough to lure Annalivia into touching it. At least, not yet.
8 comments:
"Hear you the word
Which the Lord speaks unto you,
0 house of Israel. Thus says the Lord. Learn not the way of the heathen [non-Israelite nations], and be not dismayed at the signs of the heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain."
For one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe. They deck it [the tree] with silver and with gold. They fasten it [the tree] with nails and with hammers that it move not. They [such trees] are upright as the palm tree, but speak not. The tree [KJV: stock] is a doctrine of vanities. Silver is spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder. Blue and purple is their clothing. They [the trees] are all the work of cunning men."
The book of Jeremiah
One wonders what Jeremiah, if he were alive today, would say about all the Christmas trees that now decorate our Christian homes and Christian churches? Would he sound a similar alarm like he did among the ancient Jewish population in Jerusalem? He probably would. And knowing how the apostles of Christ said to flee idolatry, the apostles would probably be equally against perpetuating these heathen customs. But as for the preachers and religious leaders today, they condone the whole thing and delight in the pagan festivities.
The first question that should be asked in regard to this subject is the following: Is there a command anywhere in the Holy Scriptures that a human should cut a tree out of the forest, set it up in one's home at the time of the Winter Solstice, deck it with trinkets and various decorations, and then place a star on its topmost part to show an association of the tree with the signs of the heavens? There is, of course, no such command nor suggestion that such a thing should be done.
Indeed, because of the command of the apostle Paul in the New Testament that Christians ought to "flee idolatry" (I Corinthians 10:14) and the statement of the apostle John to "keep yourselves from idols" (I John 5:21)
With some kind of twisted reasoning, the church authorities tell the laity that all these pagan customs are innocent enough as long as they "put Christ back into Christmas" with their worshipful adoration of the nativity of the Christ-child. But a problem arises How can the church leaders "put Christ back into Christmas" when he was never in Christmas in the first place?
What are God’s commands for worship?
Search the word “Worship“ in scripture.
Please utilize your time and money wisely for the true cause of Christ. There are people in need year round. pray for guidance.
Open our eyes.
Oh, Jaime, it sounds to me like you have more answers than questions. Enjoy welcoming Christ into the world. This pastor will be enjoying her Christmas tree. Blessings.
gee, whoever could you be addressing this to.....hummmm.
"in case you live in eastern missouri...."
humpf.
LOL.
ps: it is a beautiful tree.
So lemme get this straight Jaime - you do personally adhere to the Law of Moses given to that House of Isreal? Really...not so much? Because if not, (and I will just have to assume from my wee understanding that NO HUMAN ALIVE does so) there is a little word Jesus had a lot to say about you may want to research ...HYPOCRISY.
Grow up. And instead of condemning minutia, learn to worship God as God desires - in spirit and truth.
M
Oh boy are you lucky?
The cat has done our tree in.
Sigh.
Good designs and colors.
PS, I heard a sermon on the first Christmas tree...that one that Moses saw burning in the wildernesses, the one where the I AM spoke to him.
Jaime . . .You talk about using your time and money wisely. Is this how you use yours? Way to go! Thanks so much for opening our eyes and illuminating God's will for us in regards to Christmas trees. Our eyes are now open, thanks to the wise way you use your time. Congratulations. (Oh, and this Christian will also be enjoying her tree for the next couple of weeks!)
Is is "UnChristian" to go to church? I can't find a place in the Bible where it mentions stained glass windows and organ music and pulpits, but most churches have all of those things.
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