Good morning everyone. Today has already begun with lots of sunshine
and the temperature is a warm 71 degrees and we are expecting 84 to hit that
old thermometer. There were many days of
sunshine and lots of days of ice or rain in the Southeast during the holidays,
and we had our share of all of the white stuff that is supposed to make you
glad that it is Christmas.
Today our story is about a teenager
who had one exact job every Christmas.
Trust me the job was not difficult but like most teens he had a habit of
putting it off until the last minute. I
was a single Mom most of their lives and we lived away from home so everything was
up to us. Oh we had a wonderful church
family and friends, but I was pretty independent and I wanted them to learn to
be self-sufficient also. His one job was
to scout out a tree and to try to avoid tree lots he and his friend went to the
Tennessee woods, which was just across the state line, and the choices were
great.
It was Friday night and we were
patiently waiting for them to find a tree. High school football season was
over, his friend played football and he was in the band, so there was really
nothing pressing they had to do but find a tree. Mike picked up Tony in his pick-up truck with
a ladder, rope and a chainsaw in the back and they left early. They had all day Friday but apparently the
tree did not materialize for them and we were still waiting. Finally I heard them on the stairs. Laughing and out of breath they were lugging
a large freshly cut Christmas tree up to our front door. Through the living room and out to the
balcony they went to cut and prepare it for the stand. I was cleaning up trash
behind them as fast as I could and I quickly spread a white sheet on the living
room floor to set the tree on once it was ready to be upright.
The big moment arrived and we, my
daughter and I along with the two boys, stood in the dining room to view the
sight. That was one crooked tree! Now I wanted to be nice because apparently
they had spent their day trying to find a tall tree that was nice and
full.
“Well,” I said. “It is full and smells
wonderful so I guess we could use fishing line and pull it to a straighter
position.”
“Oh yeah,” they chorused.
They headed for the balcony storage
room to retrieve the fishing tackle box.
I retrieved the step ladder from the hall closet and they went to
work. Constantly conversing with my
daughter they pulled and re-pulled and eye-balled that tree until everyone
seemed happy and then they attached the fishing line to the ceiling. It wasn’t
long before the lights were spread around it and everyone took a break for
pizza and coke. Our tradition for
actually decorating would be honored on Saturday evening because we baked
cookie and decorated the tree together and called it our tree party. The hard work was done and I thanked them
graciously. Mike told us all goodnight
and headed for home.
Saturday evening was lots of fun and
Mike told me his Mom and Dad would come to our house for Christmas Eve since we
would leave early Christmas day to go home and visit our family. Cookies were baked, music was on the stereo,
and we were excited as we hung all of the garland and ornaments. My daughter, Leigh and I had decorated the
house during the day so we were all happy.
Sunday morning we dressed for church
and for once we did not have to threaten Tony to get him out of bed. The day was promising. Then it happened.
We were in the car driving to church
and we passed a house that we passed all of the time, but something was
different about that house.
“Oh my gosh Mom,” Leigh yelled. “Someone
chopped down old Mr. Grouch’s tree! Well
no one will make fun of him because he never decorates anything! You would think, though that with a huge Christmas
tree growing in your front yard, you could at least put lights around it.”
From the back seat I heard and humph,
then, Tony remarked, “Who would want that crooked old tree.”
Silence fell over the car and
remained there until we were on our way back home from church and I became
brave, disturbed, irritated, and all of the adjectives Mothers use when they
suspect a teen of bad behavior.
“Tony did you and Mike cut down the
tree?”
“Well Mom we went to Tennessee so of
course we had to cut down a tree.”
“Dumb one, Mom means Mr. Grouch’s
tree,” Leigh stated rather rudely.
“Why would anybody want that old
grouchy man’s tree? Not us for sure,”
was Tony’s mumbled reply.
I didn’t press the issue but I knew
if they were guilty the Pastor would know and he would share the information
with me eventually so I decided to wait.
To this day Tony, Mike, and the Pastor have kept their mouths shut! Denial at its highest pinnacle, I say. From time to time I bring it up again but I
only get denials. I would like to
believe the Pastor took care of the problem and punishment without involving
me, but I still have a nagging doubt.
The joy of Christmas reigned in our
little house on Christmas Eve with everyone there to enjoy dinner and open
gifts. I still wear the beautiful gift
Mike’s Mom gave me that Christmas and I promise to never forget the deep love
and caring that someone or two someones’ had for two teen boys. I paid that forward and will always pay forward
forgiveness when I know a lesson is learned.
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