Mitchell County
As I head into my 82nd Christmas here on this old earth, my thoughts go back through the years of memories that flood my mind. I think about those early childhood days when we went out in the field across from the house and cut a cedar tree or a white pine that faintly resembled a Christmas tree, brought it home, and nailed a board on the bottom so it would stand up. We would pop popcorn and string it on a thread, mother would find some tinsel, and we would have a few store-bought ornaments to go on it. We thought that the trees were beautiful. For months before Christmas, we children would pore over the Sears Catalog, looking at the things we would love to have for Christmas. As the catalog got older, it would end up in the outhouse, and we would continue looking at it there until the pages were gone.
The things I also remember are the carols we would sing at church, the Christmas plays at school, and at church. The week of Christmas, we would have little groups going around singing Christmas carols in the neighborhoods, or in our case, out here in the country, the community. I would say that at least 90% of the folks in the community were in church somewhere, and that was the norm. In school, there were no happy holidays; it was Merry Christmas. The story of the nativity was read, discussed, and talked about, and the Christmas Play was a big event for all the parents and grandparents to come watch. The place would be totally full with standing room only, and to actually have a role in the play was a big deal.
I am well aware that I am being nostalgic with these memories, the yearly shopping trip to Johnson City, the trip to Graham’s Hardware in Bakersville to get some Christmas candy was such a big deal! My oh my, how the times have changed over the years. We are flooded with Black Friday and online Monday and anything else that will keep us focused on the things we must have for ourselves and must buy for the kids, grandkids, and, in our case, great grandkids. While I don’t have a problem with all the mass hype of commercialism, I sure long to see a return to putting the real reason for the season back up in front. Rocking around the Christmas Tree is fine, but how about more Silent Night, more We Three Kings, more Oh Holy Night out front and on display?
For many years, my mother and then my wife Barbara would bake a birthday cake, Jesus’ birthday cake, and we would talk about the fact that we celebrate Christmas because this was the day that Jesus was born of a virgin birth and that our salvation and our faith had its beginning in that little town of Bethlehem. The night that the shepherds came to seek out the Christ Child by following the star of Bethlehem, they gathered in the stable because Joseph and Mary could not find a room in the inn.
I want to wish each of you reading this a wonderful and glorious Christmas and a Blessed and Happy New Year. As you go into the season, be mindful of the reason. Make sure that you honor our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and that you teach these things to all your children and friends that you hold dear to your heart. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
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Doug Harrell is a lifelong resident of Mitchell County, Owner of Harrell Hill Farms, a member of Pine Branch Baptist Church and former publisher of Blue Ridge Christian News. You can find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/doug.harrell.77
You can read more good Christian News from Doug Harrell HERE
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