December 4- by: Judy Wallace

I remember one particular Christmas. My brothers were in college which would have made me about 10 yrs old. Christmas was my favorite time of year. The birth of Jesus, Christmas carols, special goodies to eat and family. My mom and I were decorating the house. We were putting our snow stencils on the bottom window and the lights around the top window. How I loved all the sparkling colors, just the right touch. Of course, living in North Dakota in December it was about zero degrees or so outside and lots of snow so the lights danced off the mantle of white. The last thing we decorated was our Christmas tree, the smell of fresh pine was the best. The finishing touch was standing back and throwing the tinsel on-oh the joy of simple things. I had been asking my mom when my brothers would be home for Christmas and she said the day after we finished decorating so I knew they would be home soon and then shortly after that Christmas Eve would arrive.

A friend of my mom’s came over so I decided it was time to get my portable phonograph out and I began playing Christmas records. I was lying on the floor listening to the carols and thinking about Christmas when I heard my mom’s friend say to her in German; Judy misses her brothers but my mom said no, she is just READY for Christmas. What I was feeling was that Christmas was a time for family and as soon as my brothers arrived ours would be complete.

Today my parents are gone and my brothers and I live in different parts of the country so it is hard for us to be together every year, but no matter where we are we are still READY to celebrate Christmas and rejoice in the birth of our Savior.

R U RDY?
Judy Wallace