One of my favorite things as a child was seeing the Christmas lights on houses as people decorated for the season. I loved when Daddy would drive us down Main Street where big beautiful homes had elaborate lights up for Christmas. I loved the lights on trees posed perfectly in front of the big picture windows and the strings of lights that illuminated the roofs' edges. Another of my favorites was when they string lights down from a star - beautiful.
In Marshalltown there was always a lighted display of Santa and his reindeer flying across Center Street at the Fisher Control buildings and another on the roof of the roundhouse high school gymnasium. The lighted nativity scenes were always beautiful and cause for extra time to look and remember what the season was all about. I even remember a year when there was a live nativity set up at Riverside Cemetery (as I remember). When our boys were little we sometimes drove around looking at lights, too.
Light is warm and loving; it is joyous and cheery. I enjoy the light decorations so much that I've even sent thank you notes to families for their lovely displays in the past. Mama liked to string lights around her front porch and I've often had a little light display, too. I have shepherds and sheep (of course) and a star for our manger scene. I love that some farmers take time to hang a star high on their grain bins or silos. Light - a symbolic reminder of what Jesus Christ brought into our world that quiet night in Bethlehem.
"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'" (Luke 2:8-12 NIV).
No comments:
Post a Comment