TheBanyanTree: God in This World

[Margaret R. Kramer]

You know the commercial with the Budweiser wagon carrying a Christmas tree
through the woods and over the river while the snow is lightly falling?
That’s what it looks like outside my window right now.  There are small,
white flakes celebrating the new day.  A smoky wood smell was hanging in the
air when I went out to get the newspapers this morning.  I think more people
are using their fireplaces this year to keep the heating costs down.

I’ve done the Reindeer Run for the last four years, but I’m skipping it
today.  Susan is in Las Vegas for a work conference, the older grandson’s
snowpants can’t be found and it’s chilly this morning, and I have too much
to do.  I love doing that run, because it’s around Lake Harriet in
Minneapolis, and the old houses around that lake are gorgeous.  Lots of
people dress in costumes.  And it’s just the thing to get me in the
Christmas spirit, especially this morning with this light snowfall
freshening everything up a bit.  But I’ll do my own reindeer run later on
this morning and I’ll feel better.

So what do I have to do today?  Well, Ray and I have our usual Saturday
chores, laundry, dishes, watering plants, taking out the trash, and filling
up bird feeders.  After my run, I’ll sit down and try to find some money to
pay bills.  I need to update a web site and send out a press release for my
women’s group.  Then I can turn my attention to Christmas preparations.

I feel like I’m miles behind for Christmas.  But, you know, I have ALL my
Christmas shopping done!  We’ve had two showings of our house this week, but
no offers, darn, but I’ve used that time to shop.  I finished up at Barnes
and Noble, saving the best for last.  I bought the grandsons Timberwolves
(basketball) calendars, math and reading workbooks, mazes workbooks, and
books to read.  I asked a young man what first grade boys like to read and
he gave me some suggestions.  The older grandson talks about chapter books
and that’s what these are.  I hope he enjoys them.  I bought dinosaur books
for the younger one, plus, since he’s so religious, I got him a book about
the Jesus Christmas story.

You see, none of my family is religious.  I was brought up Lutheran, went to
Sunday School, confirmation classes, the whole bit, but the hypocrisy of the
people who attended church disgusted me and I stopped going.  Then when I
read about a high level Christian leader encouraging the assassination of
the leader of Venezuela, I really felt Christianity was out of whack.

Anyway, the younger grandson’s daycare provider is quite religious and she
tells the kids Bible stories and things like that.  He’s picked up on it in
such a cute way, that I’m charmed and impressed with his simple faith.  “A
little child shall lead them . . .,” right?  He knows his Bible stories so
well.  And he always asks me if I think God is in this world.

The older grandson, while he was at the daycare in the summer, memorized
hundreds of Bible verses, but it was a mental exercise for him, certainly
nothing to do with his belief in God or Jesus.  I think the older grandson
believes in a Seinfeld-like way that he is the master of his own domain and
God is some abstract concept he finds interesting.

So I bought the younger grandson a manger scene Advent calendar and for
Christmas, the Christmas story book.  Even though I’m not religious in any
sense, I do believe people find their own beliefs within themselves,
especially if they’re not forced to listen to the propaganda that many
conservative Christian groups try to shove down people’s throats.  I believe
faith wells up from within and not from some minister who’s sleeping with
the woman in the front row, threatening hell and damnation.  I don’t mind
providing support for my younger grandson’s beliefs, because they are so
pure and remarkable.

But I digress.  The shopping is done, but my house that is no longer my
home, is bare.  My task today is to try get up the decorations and the
lights.  Ray bought the fake Christmas trees, and perhaps we’ll try to get
them set up, too.  I wrote my holiday letter, my Christmas cards are
awaiting our signatures, I have the labels ready to print, and I bought the
cute Christmas cookie stamps online, and within days, they were in my
possession.  I’d like to try to get the Christmas cards assembled, too,
since I’ll be in Raleigh, NC for a week later this month, and I’m losing
that time to do Christmas preparations.

So much to do, so little time.  But this time of year is energizing and I’ll
get it done.

Margaret R. Kramer
margaretkramer at comcast.net

http://www.bpwmn.org
Business and Professional Women of Minnesota

Next to a circus there ain't nothing that packs up and tears out faster than
the Christmas spirit.
~Kin Hubbard