Christmas Treeeat!

Christmas Treeeat!

A cheerful heart is good medicine,but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.

Proverbs 17:22

Candles flickered by the hundreds as numerous lit Christmas trees served as their backdrops. Carols were playing, and the joy and wonder of the birth of Christ filled the Christmas Eve service. But as I looked at the beautiful sight before me, it brought more pain than joy to my sorrow-filled heart.

Seated next to my son’s family, I struggled to hold back the tears. The empty seat beside me was a glaring reminder that my husband of thirty-three years was gone. He had died a few months earlier. Truthfully, I was glad when the service was over.

After the service, we picked up my nineteen-month-old grandson, Will, from the nursery. He was tired and hungry. As we headed home, he became very cranky. After all, it was past his mealtime, and eating was a central focus of his life. In an attempt to keep Will distracted, my son said, “Will, what does a sheep say?”

We were all expecting to hear, “Baa!” Instead Will bellowed out, “Eeeeeeat!” We all chuckled.

“Will, tell Grandma what a tiger says!”

With sparkling eyes, Will said, “Eeeeeeat!” in his best tiger voice. By then we were all roaring with laughter.

“Will, tell Grandma what a puppy dog says!” Will barked, “Eat, eat, eat.”

Of course Will loved being our entertainment, and his delight in amusing us distracted him from thoughts of food. My son continued to ask about different sounds, and Will cried “Eat!” in various tones and elongations. We laughed so hard we had to wipe the tears from our eyes. My heavy heart was lightened by the antics of one precious child.

My soul is also lighthearted and glad at the thought of another Child whose actions gave us abundant life both here and in heaven: Jesus, the Messiah.

—Pam Whitley

Thank you, Lord, for redirecting my focus and filling my heart with healing laughter. Amen.