This is the week of Christmas and like a sponge dropped into a bucket of water and left over night, we have all been saturated with the holiday spirit. We have ‘Felix Navidad’ playing in our heads nonstop while we inhale Christmas with every breath. We consume platters of rich foods and the elastic in our underwear stretches tighter.
Our City is decorated with green and red ornaments hanging from lamp posts wrapped around with small white lights. Store fronts and windows are decorated with green plastic boughs while soft window lights beckon a person to come in from the cold and lay down some plastic. It’s Christ’s birthday—with great sales.
I was walking downtown one afternoon admiring the decorations that created a wonderful Christmas spirit. I became so overwhelmed with the joy of giving that I stopped in a men’s store and bought a beautiful shirt and tie. Just for me.
I’m like that sometime—self centered. I blame this on my upbringing because society accepts that kind of shuck and jive excuse and I moved on wondering if a Deli down the road had some fresh doughnuts. They did and I bought a dozen and ate about five while walking to my car. Before arriving home for dinner I ate two more---the result of having bad parents.
To make up for my parents mistakes I took my wife to a nice dinner at one of our fine restaurants. I believe Statesville should advertise our local restaurants more than we do. I have yet to eat at one that is not world class cuisine. I spent two weeks in New Orleans one time and gained 9.77 pounds and temporarily went on cholesterol medication. I know what I’m talking about.
At the restaurant I introduced my wife to the idea of ordering Anything You Want No Matter What It Does To Your Waist I’m Here For You Baby and we both devoured schools of shrimp and herds of beef. We then ordered an apple tart the size of a golf cart tire. When the check came I had visions of me and Bernie Madoff (the Ponzi Meister) sharing a room in the poor house with a straw floor, one rickety table and two empty rice bowls while snow drifted through the bars in the window and water dripped dripped dripped somewhere close by.
Earlier in the week the wife and I went to a drive through nativity scene with real people wearing robes and sandals. I’ve known the lady playing Mary for years and did not realize that she painted her toe nails fire engine red. The cold forced one wise man to wear Nikes but the point was well made. There is more to this life than our selfish motives and gains. Jesus loved us so much He gave up a great life with important angels in a gated community and had pieces of sharp iron pounded through his hands and feet so we could have hope and salvation.
Children stare in wonder at the lights and listen as we adults tell them the magic that can happen on Christmas. We put them to bed with a kiss and we whisper about reindeer on roof tops then we go downstairs with big watery eyes. We wish they’d never have to grow up and have to deal with a phone company--- or pancreatic cancer.
The Nativity story and children nudge me inside, my attitude starts to change and I begin to see Christmas like a child does—a wonder. We selfish types with bad upbringing need this time of year to help keep us in line. Merry Christmas!
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