Craig LaFollette, Caring Ministries/Hospital Visits, Walk to Emmaus accountability group, Goodwill Sunday School Class

 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, pray constantly, 17 give thanks in all circumstances; 18 for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Reflection:
For as far back as I can remember, my mother always prayed at night with me and my sister, Pam. First, it was “now I lay me down to sleep,” then the Lord’s prayer. Pam and I would take turns reciting the prayers after suitable memorization. Mother also taught Sunday School at the First Christian Church in McKinney, Texas when we were young and made sure our attendance was 100%. Despite being a divorcee in a small town, Mother was a joyous person and gave her children consistent lessons in prayer and giving thanks to God for everything. As I grew up, the joy, prayers, and giving thanks to God would ebb and flow and be inconsistent. However, there have been many experiences when Mother’s training and guidance got me through some stressful and difficult times.

We were blessed to grow up on my great grandparents’ farm. There were crops, a large orchard for fruit, and a big garden producing lots of vegetables for the table and canning. Chickens pecked around the backyard and a flock of guineas would fly up from the creek at dusk and roost in a large tree behind the house. A densely forested creek bordered the eastern side of the farm and offered up many places to explore, build forts, and hang out with friends. Sometimes I would just sit on a log and listen to the wind rustling through the trees, the birds chirping and watching the sunlight dancing on the ripples of the water. Those were days I felt a closeness with God.

In the sixth grade at West Ward School, a couple of weeks before Christmas, our teacher, Ms. Burke, asked the class if anyone would like to provide a tree for the class to decorate in our room. I proudly raised my hand knowing there were lots of cedar trees along our creek. It wouldn’t require any money, and I was sure a suitable tree could be found along the creek. Ms. Burke accepted my offer. I was very, very excited about the opportunity to be an integral part of our class Christmas celebration. 

When I got home from school, I promptly rounded up some rope and a saw, that hadn’t been sharpened since the early 1900s, and headed off to the creek in search of the perfect Christmas tree. There were a lot of cedar trees along the creek. Some seemed too tall, some too short, and those with odd shapes. I looked and looked, not giving up on finding the perfect tree. The weather had been wet and my shoes were heavy with mud. At one point I could see the neighbor’s fence line and really got nervous, knowing I was running out of land to search. It was right at dusk, getting colder and still no perfect tree. That is when I began to pray hard and ask God to help me with the search. I continued to make my way through the trees, vines, and weeds. I came to a small clearing just before the neighbor’s fence, and there it was. The perfect tree.

It was about six-feet tall and had a uniform shape having grown up in a spot where other trees and plants hadn’t competed for space. Thank you, Father God! Now, all I had to do was cut the tree down, wrap the rope around it, and pull it home. My excitement began to wane after an exhaustive effort using a dull saw. Did I mention that I had left my gloves at home? It was getting even colder and blisters started to develop on my hands. After petitioning God once again, I finally fell the tree. The rope was securely wrapped around the tree and I began to trudge home with muddy feet, cold hands, and pulling a six-foot cedar tree over my shoulder. It was a little less than a mile to the house, and I made it back right at dark. I left my muddy shoes on the steps and went inside for a little rest and much needed dinner. After eating, I went back outside to make a tree stand. Easier said than done. I searched around the utility shed and found some 2×4 planks for the stand. The old saw was still dull, but I did retrieve my gloves. 

After a lot of measuring and cutting, the stand was ready for the tree. Whoops, I had not made a straight cut when sawing the tree down. Back with that same, dull saw one more time. At last, the tree and stand were ready to come together. I drove a large nail through the bottom of the stand and into the tree. A large smile came to my face after standing up the tree. God had helped me find the perfect tree. I loaded it in the trunk of the car and tied it down, securely. It was almost 10 o’clock when I finished my bath and crawled into bed. At this age, I would say the Lord’s Prayer and follow up with any additional thanks and needs. I was bone tired and slept very soundly. It was a good tired.  

In the morning, my Mother got me to school early to set up the tree before my other classmates got to the room. I felt great when Ms. Burke gave me a tight hug and thanked me. All my schoolmates thanked me and told me how perfect the tree was. Silently, I thanked God.

At a relatively early age, I fully recognized that God had, indeed, answered one of my prayers and brought great joy to my life. What a feeling. I have drawn on this experience many times during my life. At age 71, I still vividly remember the cold air, muddy shoes, blisters on my hands, the frustration with the saw, dragging the tree back home, and reaching out to God. It was a struggle. A struggle that brought me closer to God through prayer and to an incomparable, deep joy that only God can provide.  

Closing prayer:
Father God, dear Jesus, dear Holy Spirit, thank you, Father, for this life you have allowed me to live and your Joy that you have allowed me to feel. I love you, Father, and pray the Holy Spirit will help me love you more. Thank you Father for being with me all these years and welcoming me back during times I turned away. Please help me to keep Jesus and what he did for us on the cross at the forefront of my mind and let him lead me through life’s struggles. In the holy name of your son Jesus I pray. Amen.