12-18-08...BETTER TIMES
Christmas is not Christmas anymore. What I mean by that is it is not the Christmas I remember. Of course I know that things and times have changed. Progress has been made and people have more. That doesn't really matter. Christmas should never change. Christmas is a time for Family. a time to worship our Saviour. Maybe not the real day of His birth but as close as we can make it in the world today. Look what our Government has done to other Holidays. They have made every holiday they can come on Monday so they have a three day week-end. Of course that is the reason. Doesn't take much common sense to see that. But even our corrupt Government has not had the nerve to try and change Christmas and Thanksgiving to always be on Monday. I look for that to happen in the future but I don't have to change my view of Christmas and I never will.
Everybody wants something now. MORE MORE MORE! Never satisfied. I'm not implying that I am always satisfied with what I have. Not saying that at all. I just wish everyone would slow down and enjoy the simple things that God has provided for us. Some animals seem to appreciate their friends and family more than some of us do.
When I was growing up I didn't have much but I was rich. I could occupy my self for hours just lying on the ground and looking at the clouds by day or stars by night. The clouds are ever changing. I've seen all kinds of animals, flowers, buildings, I even saw a big fluffy Birthday cake one year with pink frosting. Sure did! And what made that even more miraculous was it indeed was my Birthday. Now Ponder that for a while. Mama didn't have the ingriedients to make me a cake that year as she usually did so God sent me a very special one just for me. I didn't pout over no Birthday cake. Mama told me the truth of the matter and I accepted it. No problem. Later that day my Daddy came home with a puppy for my Birthday and I was thrilled. Simple things were all we needed then.
If I was lucky enough to receive a doll under the Christmas tree I treasured it. I took tender care of it and still had it the next year. If I couldn't have a new doll the next year, again no problem, Grandma made new clothes for the one I had. Good as new, YEP!
One year I had seen a doll in the Aldens Christmas catalog thst I wanted so bad. It was a beautiful doll. Not the cloth dolls I usually got, but the most beautiful doll I had ever seen with yellow hair and blue eyes that opened and closed. It came in a case and had two changes of clothes, comb and brush, and even a pink nightgown and slippers. There was a baby carriage with it just the right size for me to push. I never expected to get it but I sure could hope and imagine having that doll. I didn't ask for it because I saw the price and knew it would be impossible. I understood even at a young age that I didn't get everything I wanted because Mama and Daddy couldn't always do it.
I carried that catalog around with me for a couple of months and pretended I really had the doll. It became almost real to me and I had a big time in my fantasy world. I wore the page out till you could barely see it. Well My wonderful Mama and Daddy had been watching me. They wanted that doll for me as bad as I wanted it myself. I don't know how they managed but on Christmas Eve Night we got home from Church and ran to the Christmas tree. We took turns unwrapping. None of this ripping open, putting aside and grabbing another one to rip open the way I've seen kids do today. Not just kids either but grown people acting so greedy then not even being satisfied with all those expensive gifts. Anyway i had opened one package and had two left. Norman was on his second. Now Daddy handed me a good sized one and I very carefully opened it. Oh My Goodness! (Let me wipe tears now) There was that beautiful doll in a little brown case lying there in pink paper. I was overwhelmed, overjoyed, and so full of love at that moment. I just sat there and stared, almost afraid it was a dream. Daddy helped me take it out and I hugged it to my chest. I looked at my Daddy and Mama and saw tears in their eyes. Didn't understand the tears then but I do now. Oh Yes I understand now.
Norman opened another one and Mama and Daddy opened the home made trinkets we had wrapped up for them. Now remember the buggy? I hadn't given it another thought. I had my doll. I was satisfied. Daddy got up and went in the bedroom and came out pushing the little buggy. He had to bend way over to push it and I can still see the love in his eyes and the big grin on his face. My Brother? Nope he wasn't jealous of my things. He was satisfied with his. We were never jealous of each other. Still are not. We would give one another our last dollar if it was necessary. That is the way we were taught.
Those Christmas's are the ones I remember. Christmas today is just not the same any more. I do try to once again get that old Christmas feeling. But it is gone and it is sad.
I hope none of you are sad about Christmas but I suspect some are. Just know you are not alone. We are never alone. The little baby who was born on that Christmas long ago is still right here with us and he loves you. I love you too. God Bless you all and Merry Christmas. Clydene
