MEDITATION:
Written by Debra Torres, a contemporary author.
I found the huge wooden star one day while walking through the pastures of a farm we rented. It rested against a corrugated steel wall inside one of the farm’s outbuildings. What was the star doing out in the middle of a cow pasture? I wondered. When I asked my landlord about the star, his tone turned a bit nostalgic as he said, “Oh, Dad used to string lights on that and put it up on the roof every year.” See, my landlord had grown up in the house where we were living, and I loved to hear sentimental stories like that one. I quickly asked if I could use the star that Christmas and he consented. I strung the star with fresh white lights and, not daring enough to venture to the roof, propped it up right next to our front door. At night it had a beautiful effect. And since our home was up on a hill a short distance from a busy road, I hoped that it would remind passersby of the Star of Bethlehem. I was surprised a year or two later when my son came home from school with a paper he had written on family traditions. My star made the top of his list! I had no idea I had created a tradition for my own family. But sometimes, when the holidays roll around, I get to thinking about how much work I’ll save by eliminating this or that tradition. I mean, what if we didn’t even do a tree this year? No needles, no tangled lights, none of those crazy hooks stuck in the carpet. Our family has gone into a “simple mode” the past few years with a small artificial tree– but maybe we didn’t need to get that out either. But I was convicted this past summer by something I read by Richard Ivy, writer of the father’s devotional, “Memories of Dad.” Ivy highlights how important family traditions are to our kids saying: “Traditions are part of life. They set standards of behavior. They impart family values. They help knit together family members into a tapestry that gives each one a sense of belonging and acceptance.” “And traditions are not limited to any particular season. On the Fourth of July, families have reunion picnics. At Easter, families buy new clothes. Vacations are often always at the same place. And birthdays are where grandma always gives you a dollar for each year of your age. Each of these adds another stitch to the family fabric.” Traditions may take work, but they do have purpose. And one of the nice things about them is that while you can keep old ones alive, you can always add new ones to the mix like my star.
SCRIPTURE:
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”
LINK TO CHRISTMAS MUSIC/VIDEO:
Pathways Press.com 
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