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Advent: Two Branches That Bore a Tree
SPRING VALLEY, CA (December 19, 2006) - Editor's note: In preparation for the Christmas observance, Covenant Communications is sharing devotionals that originally appeared in local Covenant church newsletters or other publications and are being published here by permission. The following comes from retired Baptist Pastor Harold Salseth, a resident of Mount Miguel Covenant Village in Spring Valley, and originally appeared in the village’s “Highlights” publication.
By Harold Salseth
The scene is the “Salseth Farm” three miles south of Woodville, Wisconsin. It is late afternoon on a cold December day in 1932. A father and his 12 year-old son, seated side by side in a one-horse cutter, are homeward bound. Old Dan hurries along freely, anticipating both the green alfalfa hay and the warmth of his stall at the end of the journey.
I glanced over at dad periodically, but he just sat there looking straight ahead, so comfy-like in his big, black, curly fur coat. “Dad,” I croaked. I cleared my voice and tried to swallow the aching lump in my throat. “Did that Christmas tree cost too much?” My voice cracked again and was a little shaky. Maybe dad would think I was just shivering from the cold. I was too big to cry, especially over a silly old Christmas tree. I steadied my voice and continued, “Guess it cost too much, huh? Guess that is why we left it behind, huh?” I blinked back my tears again. If he looked now, surely he would think the tears were there from the sharp, cold wind cutting across my face.
“Yeah, well, yeah, uh,” he faltered, “fifty cents was kinda’ expensive. But your mother and me, uh, well we was discussin’ this matter, and we thought we best not buy a tree this year cuz we can’t afford to buy anything to put under it.”
Did I hear right? I was dumbfounded. We were not going to have Christmas. Not even a Christmas tree this year? I could not believe it. I wanted to protest, but no words would come. I sat there in dead silence.
How could the folks do this to us anyway? It was like dad had just released four evil spirits on me, yes, on me alone: Sadness, Gloom, Dejection, and Misery. Sure enough, those were their names. Now if they would have come one at a time, maybe I could have fought them off, but certainly not all four at once. This is too much. So this is what it is like not having any Christmas.
I hurriedly went to the house and changed into my barn clothes. I gulped down some hot soup and bread with burned crust. Even though I was hungry, it did not taste good. I returned to the barn to finish my part of the chores. I milked my two cows, took my turn at the cream separator, filled the cat dish with whole milk, and fed the skimmed milk to the calves. I had finished my chores, so I hurried back to the house.
Mama was alone in the kitchen doing the dishes. “Mama, dad said we would not be having a Christmas tree this year, is that true?”
“Well, yes, that is what we thought would be best because we do not have money to buy anything,” she said.
The next afternoon I trudged down the quarter mile driveway and into our neighbor’s field. It was heavy going with the snow almost up to my hips, but no matter, I was in pursuit of Christmas. I finally reached the place and stared up into the low hanging branches of that huge towering pine tree. “Carl Endahl surely won’t miss a couple of branches,” I reasoned, and chopped off two of them. Now I would have Christmas in my room by myself.
I was amazed; I already felt much better. “Sadness, Gloom, Dejection and Misery,” were all put to flight. I slept peacefully that night with the room filled with the aroma of pine. My imagination was filled with visions of tinsel, bright shining stars and the little baby in the crude manger stall. I wondered if he had a tree.
Mama usually did not come up to our room, but either she needed something or had traced the pleasant pine odor to its source. My secret Christmas was out. But something magical was happening. I saw Mama whispering something to dad. His face lit up and he nodded with a grin. “I’ll go for it now.”
In less than an hour dad was back. He stomped the snow off his boots, banged open the door and pulled through the doorway with the prettiest Christmas tree I had ever seen.
“Where did’ja get it?” I squealed with delight.
Mama answered, “Mrs. Endahl called and said they found several in their woods and we could have one. Isn’t it beautiful?”
“It’s a dandy!” I blurted out. “Maybe Carl (Endahl) saw, a-a-uh-huh…” I never finished my sentence.
“C’mon,” Mama called, “We’ve got oodles of work to do to get ready. You know tonight is Christmas Eve.”
Sadness has turned to Happiness!
Gloom was transformed into Radiance!
Dejection was replaced with Merriment!
Misery became Contentment! I looked at the real candles burning brilliantly on the tree. I caressed my new homemade skis and explained, “This is really, really the best Christmas we have ever had.”
Now I knew those two pine branches I dragged in had given birth to this beautiful tree and the finest Christmas Eve.
Editor’s note: To read a previously published devotional in this Advent series, please see:
• God’s Timing Not Like Ours
Copyright © 2008 The Evangelical Covenant Church. |
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