I placed Brittany on the toboggan and launched out with Linda following in behind. It was a beautiful day and was one of those moments that as the crisp cold air filled your lungs you felt really alive! Winter sunshine on snow laden boughs casting long shadows on a sea of white is truly one of those beautiful Northern landscapes.

As I searched the stands of Spruce looking for the Perfect Christmas tree I began to curse my perfectionism as it was not an easy find. You know how it goes; I’ll find it just up the next hill, but this Christmas tree was proving elusive! There was always a lack of branches or imbalanced symmetry in the ones that did exist. I have to admit it was getting a heavy haul and the sweat was beginning to profusely run down my forehead into my eyes, and you know what that stings like. Through those stinging red eyes I finally saw it, the perfect Christmas tree! What beautiful symmetry and nice full branches. Off the toboggan climbed Britt and disappeared into the snow. After a little rescue by mom there she was, a big smile and excitement on her face as only a child can express it.

Out came the axe and down came the tree. I returned the axe to the toboggan placed the tree on it and lashed it down! Problem! Oops, where do I put Brittany.

Yup, that is what I did guys, just what you would do, up she went on my shoulders. Carrying our little three-year-old on my shoulders and pulling the toboggan with the tree, I became painfully aware of how far we had traversed coming out! I have never been so glad to see our house as the moment that it came into view. With my hair like I had just gotten out of the shower, clothes as if I had just swam a river and my three year old feeling like an over weight suomo wrestler, I staggered the last few steps! With my arms feeling like rubber I reached up and brought my little daughter safely to the ground. Linda and Brittany went into the house to prepare some hot chocolate and I prepared the Christmas tree for the stand.

Sometime later, after the perfect Christmas tree was placed perfectly with the best side out I sat exhausted in a chair looking at my nemesis thinking, 'why do we do this?’ It was a rhetorical question as I already knew the answer. It was for Brittany, Linda, other friends and family, I would even say for me! It was a way for me to celebrate all that I have been blessed with and to celebrate who has blessed me. I have sat in our family room many a cold winter's night accompanied by our Christmas trees, enjoying the warmth of its lights and thinking of the blessings of love in my life. God thinks of you all of the time, and I can see Him looking at a tree and saying, ‘it was worth it, you are worth it’

A little post script to our story: Since that time; every year I have bought our tree!

Scripture:

'How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!'

 - Psalms 139:17-18 (NLT)

Question: What do you think the word ‘precious’ means in this scripture?

Meditation: Take a couple minutes of silence and stillness and think on this; God is thinking a precious thought of you right now!!! What do you think the thought is?

This concludes our first week. In this week we have tried to begin an audit of our heart using the tools of silence and stillness. I am grateful you took the time to read and work these meditations. Over the weekend we are giving you a list of things that you can pray for. Would you think some precious thoughts towards these needs and make them prayers. Next Monday morning we will begin another audit. See you Sunday!