Grace in an Ornament
The house was quiet as my husband lay sleeping, and in the background, softly, was moody instrumental Christmas music. It was the dawn of the day before Thanksgiving, and I determined to have my tree dressed before the weekend festivities began. The bin of ornaments opened on the dining room table gave me easy access, and one by one, I unwrapped the tissue-wrapped treasures, strategically placing them on the wire limbs.
Occasionally, I’d pause to consider the memory of where the one in my hand had come from and would ask the question in my own head, “Who gave this to me?” or “Oh, I remember this one!” A smile crept on, and I lingered for a moment or two at the thought. And then I unwrapped the red satin ball decked with gold chains and a jeweled brooch. Staring too long took me back to the tiled bathroom floor of the house on Main Street, where, during the holiday season of 1987, my sister and I would make dozens of ornaments to hang on a Christmas tree that I would never have. Those were my “drug days”. I very rarely talk about them. I lived a lonely, isolated, confused life. At the time, I had very little connection with my two young sons, and that fueled the drive to stay numb. My choice of street drugs served their purpose only to keep me from the things and people that I loved the very most. Oh, the tragic irony of sin. The cost of it is catastrophic throughout to its ultimate death.
I wondered if I should linger on the thought, as it represents the absolute darkest days of my life. As a matter of fact, the entire year, the one previously, and the one to follow had been ones of complete devastation and depression, and all of it had been the result of self-induced misery. Even now, the words of my dear, precious Daddy echo through the corridors of my mind, “Bad decisions destroy your options.” I had made so many bad decisions; at that time, I had no options. But for grace. It was grace that led me home.
Today, I stack the years of how His grace has sustained me and continues to sustain me. The monumental landmarks testify to His faithfulness. And how would I have ever known of this most necessary attribute of God’s were it not for my neon colored failures that litter the landscape of my past? I would not. John 1:16, “And from His fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” Ephesians 1:5-8 says, “In love, he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” Oh, how He knew I would need it. And yet He died for me anyway, and lives for me anyway! “Grace upon grace” indeed.
I determined to look at my tree this year with a grateful heart. Every ornament from every friend, each one that has been collected through the bountiful years of my life, and this year, the most valuable, the red satin jewel-dressed one from Main Street. I placed it at eye level, for it hangs as a testimony to the faithfulness of a loving Savior. And reminds me of the blessings that come from serving Him. Turns out there’s plenty of grace in that, too. 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written, “He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
I shake my head in wonder at it all and how abundantly happy I am to belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. “In Him.” There is no better place to be.
