December 4, 2018 (Tuesday)
I love the movie, “A Christmas Story,” because it is about an ordinary family in tough times doing ordinary things (albeit occasionally a little differently) together. I think I like the movie because it all looks and sounds so familiar to me as I think of my childhood. I believe most people have seen it by now but if there is someone out there reading this that has not seen it yet, you are in for a treat if you decide to watch it.
Thinking about growing up brought memories. Going back in time as far as I can, I recall getting a wind-up train with a circle track year after year. The reason for getting another one each year was the fact that I took the old one apart to see how it ran. I was good at dismantlement but not so good in putting it all back together. One time I got a Mickey Mouse watch and that was the opportunity of a lifetime. An original Mickey Mouse watch today in good shape would probably be worth a lot of money, I suppose, but the watch went the way of my trains. I enjoyed taking my sisters’ dolls apart, but only after they had been left out in the rain and were ruined. I was intrigued with the mechanisms that opened and closed the eyelids and made the doll try to say, “mama.” Many toy parts were made of lead in those days, considered dangerous and toxic today. When I was nine years old, I got a movie projector and a few short films, and when I was ten I joined the boy from “A Christmas Story” in getting a special air rifle. Like him, I was warned that I might shoot out my eye, but I didn’t do that; instead I broke a neighbor’s window.
I guess I could go on and on with meaningless trivia, but let’s just think for a few minutes about the meaning of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Both are religious celebrations. One causes us to think about God’s blessings and we are thankful. The other reminds us that God loves the world so much that He gave us His Son. Both are great celebrations that should cause us to search our souls and rededicate ourselves to the Lord and His way of life.
It’s a little late to say, “Happy Thanksgiving,” but I can repeat the scripture, “In everything give thanks.” But I’m early in saying, “Merry Christmas,” and I wish for each and every one of you good things to happen in your life.