Money was tight that first Christmas.
So tight that when we bought an artificial tree for $30 and it went on sale the following week, we stuffed it back in the box and returned it. By the time we’d made our way to the garden center, the sales clerk had hauled back the tree we’d just returned, and we bought it again—for $10 less. We bought three bags of red and white satin ornaments with the difference. Unfortunately, even though the tree wasn’t very big, the bags of cheap balls didn’t go very far.
The next day we were grocery shopping when a bin of ornaments caught my eye. The sign read Four for $1, which sounded too good to be true. As I examined each bagged wooden ornament, I saw why they were so cheap—they were all broken. A little girl on skis lacked a pole, a mouse dressed to look like a Wise Man was missing the red ball on his nose, and a bear on a rocking horse needed a wheel.
“They’re all broken,” I said, dismissing them and moving on.
“But all the parts are there,” my husband replied, looking closer, “I think I can fix them.”
“That’s too much work. They’re not worth it.”
“I’d like to try. I think I love them.”
And fix them he did. With painstaking care and incredible patience, he glued each broken part, even creatively improvising when the pieces were too damaged to be restored. When the glue was dry, he hung them on the tree among the satin balls.
“See,” he said with a smile, “I told you I could fix them.”
Since that first Christmas, we’ve added many ornaments to our tree. We replaced the satin balls long ago, but every year we continue to hang the little wooden ornaments. They remind us of how far we’ve come, how blessed we are, and what God did for us on the very first Christmas.
Like the ornaments in the bin, we were practically worthless. Broken and discarded, we weren’t much to look at, but God took pity on us.
“I think I can fix them,” He said. “I’d like to try. I love them.”
And with painstaking care and incredible patience, He applied the blood of Jesus to every broken part, even creatively improvising when parts of us were too damaged to be restored. And then He added us to His family tree and smiled.
“See,” He said, “I told you I could fix them.”
What’s your story this Christmas? Has God repaired what was broken and placed you in His family tree? Do you know Him as your Savior? If you do, rejoice. If you don’t, invite Him into your heart today.
You’ve lived broken long enough. It’s time to let God make you whole.
(Photo courtesy of morguefile and greyerbaby.)
(For more information, visit us at www.christiandevotions.us.)
Hi Lori! What a beautiful illustration of the Father's love and patience. Thank you! Nydia
Lori, Thank you for sharing this devotion. I loved the connection between the broken ornaments being fixed by your husband and God so patiently and lovingly fixing us. We are blessed to be loved by a King who sees past the brokenness to the beauty that lies beneath. Thanks again. Sheryl