This blog post is an old post (December 2007), but well worth reviving if you are in need of a good laugh. The photos that go with this post are at the end in a slideshow that you can let scroll or you can fast forward through. I hope you get a giggle or two..
I've been entrusted with a special gift. I'm a Keeper of Christmas. I'll be writing more on what that means in another post this week. But for now, just know that's my position here on earth - A Keeper of Christmas. Part of the responsibility of being a Keeper of Christmas is to create memories that point people to the One we celebrate at Christmas.
In Keeping Christmas this year, I decided I wanted to have a Christmas Tea at our cozy little cabin in the woods with my lady friends from church. I've been planning, praying and envisioning this moment for months. I've been like a child in a candy shop. I wanted this to be a wonderful occasion that would create memories that would not only knit our hearts together, but also create memories that would point us to the Savior.
So the thought occurred to me, make it a Currier and Ives/Thomas Kincaide moment. Keep Christmas by reflecting memories from a simpler time. Have the women come the mile and a half up the mountain in a sleigh that's being drawn by 2 galloping horses . . . you know, over the river (creek) and through the woods to Marsha's house we'll go type thing.
Thus began the search for horses and sleigh.
Now I think romantically about almost every aspect of life. I see the silver lining in every cloud that looms. My husband calls me Pollyanna. Well, this Pollyanna was going to Keep Christmas this year by using horses and a sleigh and I managed to pull my husband into the silver lined cloud with me. He has lots of contacts, so his part of being the husband of a Keeper of Christmas was to find me horses and sleigh.
You know your husband truly loves you when he joins you in a quest such as this. In no time at all he delivered! He came home so excited. But it wouldn't be able to be a sleigh because there has to be snow and if there's that much snow people around here are not coming out for a sleigh ride. He found instead a wagon. I called it a carriage to the ladies, sounds more "tea-ish" don't you think? This fella Mike works with has a brother and father who enter parades occasionally with their team and wagon. I knew the style of wagon because I've seen them in the parades in the summer months here in the mountains. They have a roof and open sides. so you can see out. PERFECT for this memory making ride. I couldn't wait. The excitement was building with the ladies. Ahh, this Keeper of Christmas has outdone herself I thought to myself.
Two weeks ago, Mike informs me that the "team" is NOT actually a team of horses, but rather a team of mules. The fantasy came down a notch. Well, at least they do this all the time, pulling a wagon full of people. And then he adds, oh, and by the way, mules don't gallop, they just plod along doing their job, that means it will take too long to get them to go 1 -1/2 miles up the mountain - as in 30 minutes! So, we changed it up and arranged for the ride to begin half way up the mountain by the mailboxes...down another notch the fantasy slid. Gulp, well, okay...at least they have four legs, a tail and sleigh bells that will jingle through the woods. It's still going to be so Currier and Ives-ish!
The time was fast approaching for the Christmas Tea. I sent out a little email to the 14 ladies coming and reminded them to dress warmly and to wear comfortable shoes because we would be taking a short little walk to my elderly neighbors cabin and singing Christmas carols to her. I assured them I wasn't going to make mountain goats out of them, the terrain here in the hollow is relatively even. Going Christmas Caroling is a good thing to do when you are a Keeper of Christmas you know.
Saturday morning, December 8 finally arrived. I could hardly sleep the night before. I was SO excited! "Lord, thank you for giving me the Gift of being a Keeper of Christmas. Lord, may all of our hearts be knit together in love through this tea. May they see You through your creation as they meander through the woods on their carriage ride. May they come feeling refreshed and relaxed as they reach our little cabin in the woods."
Mike went down to the end of the road to help his friend load the ladies into the carriage. His job was to take LOTS of pictures for me since I needed to stay at the house. The ladies were coming in 2 trips because of the lack of space on the carriage. He was going to bring their car up to the house so they would have it when it was time to leave.
Mike gets to the end of the road and finds the mules hitched to the . . . okay, so now it truly is NOT a carriage, it's NOT even an open wagon...it's a "Little House on the Prairie-ish" wagon!
Well, at least the ladies are smiling and they can see either where they've been or where they're going. It will be fine.
Have you ever heard the expression "stubborn as a mule"? There's a reason for that expression. These mules went MAYBE 100 yards and quit, just flat out quit! They REFUSED to go anywhere, no matter WHAT this well trained mule and wagon owner did to these mules!
He was SO embarrassed. He told the ladies the mules just "stubbed out"! When a mule decides it's not going, it's NOT going.
There was nothing else they could do. They had to disembark from the wagon and walk the rest of the way (1/2 a mile UP the mountain). Yes, there you see them in the picture heading UP the mountain while the mules head DOWN the mountain to get group #2! Oh Lord, help us!
Bless these ladies hearts, upon arriving, they look up and see they have to climb 19 stairs to the front door!
Poor Susie had never been to our cozy little cabin in the woods before. She's standing there, looking UP in disbelief knowing she has to climb the stairs! And Linda took me literally when I said dress warmly. She's wearing a beautiful, red, full length, might I add - heavy coat. I was standing on the porch laughing and crying at the same time. Now I was embarrassed! I had promised these ladies when I told them to wear comfy shoes that I wasn't turning them into mountain goats!
Now, back to the second group of women yet to arrive. The mules and wagon were turned back around, facing toward climbing UP the mountain. They got loaded up and . . .
the mules just stood there! At that point the older gentleman (the father) came and said the mules were teamed up incorrectly. So they undid them and moved them around. There . . . now they'll move. NOT!!! They just stood there! Totally "STUBBED OUT"! At this point the driver had enough of this nonsense. He said he knew how he'd get those dadburn mules to move. So he got out and he . . . . tied them to his 4x4 diesel truck (that's 4 wheel drive) and pulled the 4x4 mules (one mule with 4 legs and another mule with 4 legs - 4x4) that pulled the wagon with 4 wheels that carried my precious friends and the only hope for me (and the poor mule driver!) to retain any sense of dignity and honor . . . both necessary traits for one who is gifted as a Keeper of Christmas.
And his idea worked. Honor and dignity preserved! The truck was able to pull the mules that pulled the wagon, that held my friends, that held my future as a Keeper of Christmas in tact.
They went up, and up and up the mountain.
When alas they finally arrived at "The Hollow of His Hand" (the name we call our little cabin in the woods) with just a faint smell of diesel fuel and mule manure waifing in their hair. And did I mention they were very pale looking?
At this point you are probably wondering if these dear ladies still call me friend. Yes, as a matter of fact they do!
Despite the stubborn mules who tried to thwart the plans of the Keeper of Christmas, God was faithful and answered my prayer request. Some of these women are new to our church. God did indeed knit hearts together as they encouraged the more out of shape ones up the mountain. They watched after the one who may have a heart condition, they laughed together along the way. The ladies in the wagon knit their hearts together as they sat huddled close together, white knuckles showing, silently praying for their safety as the mules walked right on the edge of the road that drops off. They all saw the Savior that day in a very unique way. They all saw a place of beauty at a slower pace than they would normally take, thus able to appreciate His creation. A Christmas memory was made that will long be told to others that may come and worship with us in the future.
And at the end of the afternoon, when we all went and sang Christmas Carols to my elderly neighbor, the presence of the Lord could be felt. A Capella voices in three parts singing "O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord" were lifted to the highest point of her cathedral ceiling. The joy, the peace, the hearts knit together as one, the presence of Christ Himself were evidenced by my neighbor. Christmas was placed within the hearts of all of us to Keep within our own hearts and homes.
Mike asked me that evening what I was going to do next year to Keep Christmas. I thought a moment and said, "I think I'll have a drop in". "Oh, that sounds great!", he exclaimed. At some point I need to let him know what I meant by that. He's gonna need to cut some more trees. I'm thinking like . . . parachutes.
In Keeping Christmas this year, I decided I wanted to have a Christmas Tea at our cozy little cabin in the woods with my lady friends from church. I've been planning, praying and envisioning this moment for months. I've been like a child in a candy shop. I wanted this to be a wonderful occasion that would create memories that would not only knit our hearts together, but also create memories that would point us to the Savior.
So the thought occurred to me, make it a Currier and Ives/Thomas Kincaide moment. Keep Christmas by reflecting memories from a simpler time. Have the women come the mile and a half up the mountain in a sleigh that's being drawn by 2 galloping horses . . . you know, over the river (creek) and through the woods to Marsha's house we'll go type thing.
Thus began the search for horses and sleigh.
Now I think romantically about almost every aspect of life. I see the silver lining in every cloud that looms. My husband calls me Pollyanna. Well, this Pollyanna was going to Keep Christmas this year by using horses and a sleigh and I managed to pull my husband into the silver lined cloud with me. He has lots of contacts, so his part of being the husband of a Keeper of Christmas was to find me horses and sleigh.
You know your husband truly loves you when he joins you in a quest such as this. In no time at all he delivered! He came home so excited. But it wouldn't be able to be a sleigh because there has to be snow and if there's that much snow people around here are not coming out for a sleigh ride. He found instead a wagon. I called it a carriage to the ladies, sounds more "tea-ish" don't you think? This fella Mike works with has a brother and father who enter parades occasionally with their team and wagon. I knew the style of wagon because I've seen them in the parades in the summer months here in the mountains. They have a roof and open sides. so you can see out. PERFECT for this memory making ride. I couldn't wait. The excitement was building with the ladies. Ahh, this Keeper of Christmas has outdone herself I thought to myself.
Two weeks ago, Mike informs me that the "team" is NOT actually a team of horses, but rather a team of mules. The fantasy came down a notch. Well, at least they do this all the time, pulling a wagon full of people. And then he adds, oh, and by the way, mules don't gallop, they just plod along doing their job, that means it will take too long to get them to go 1 -1/2 miles up the mountain - as in 30 minutes! So, we changed it up and arranged for the ride to begin half way up the mountain by the mailboxes...down another notch the fantasy slid. Gulp, well, okay...at least they have four legs, a tail and sleigh bells that will jingle through the woods. It's still going to be so Currier and Ives-ish!
The time was fast approaching for the Christmas Tea. I sent out a little email to the 14 ladies coming and reminded them to dress warmly and to wear comfortable shoes because we would be taking a short little walk to my elderly neighbors cabin and singing Christmas carols to her. I assured them I wasn't going to make mountain goats out of them, the terrain here in the hollow is relatively even. Going Christmas Caroling is a good thing to do when you are a Keeper of Christmas you know.
Saturday morning, December 8 finally arrived. I could hardly sleep the night before. I was SO excited! "Lord, thank you for giving me the Gift of being a Keeper of Christmas. Lord, may all of our hearts be knit together in love through this tea. May they see You through your creation as they meander through the woods on their carriage ride. May they come feeling refreshed and relaxed as they reach our little cabin in the woods."
Mike went down to the end of the road to help his friend load the ladies into the carriage. His job was to take LOTS of pictures for me since I needed to stay at the house. The ladies were coming in 2 trips because of the lack of space on the carriage. He was going to bring their car up to the house so they would have it when it was time to leave.
Mike gets to the end of the road and finds the mules hitched to the . . . okay, so now it truly is NOT a carriage, it's NOT even an open wagon...it's a "Little House on the Prairie-ish" wagon!
Well, at least the ladies are smiling and they can see either where they've been or where they're going. It will be fine.
Have you ever heard the expression "stubborn as a mule"? There's a reason for that expression. These mules went MAYBE 100 yards and quit, just flat out quit! They REFUSED to go anywhere, no matter WHAT this well trained mule and wagon owner did to these mules!
He was SO embarrassed. He told the ladies the mules just "stubbed out"! When a mule decides it's not going, it's NOT going.
There was nothing else they could do. They had to disembark from the wagon and walk the rest of the way (1/2 a mile UP the mountain). Yes, there you see them in the picture heading UP the mountain while the mules head DOWN the mountain to get group #2! Oh Lord, help us!
Bless these ladies hearts, upon arriving, they look up and see they have to climb 19 stairs to the front door!
Poor Susie had never been to our cozy little cabin in the woods before. She's standing there, looking UP in disbelief knowing she has to climb the stairs! And Linda took me literally when I said dress warmly. She's wearing a beautiful, red, full length, might I add - heavy coat. I was standing on the porch laughing and crying at the same time. Now I was embarrassed! I had promised these ladies when I told them to wear comfy shoes that I wasn't turning them into mountain goats!
Now, back to the second group of women yet to arrive. The mules and wagon were turned back around, facing toward climbing UP the mountain. They got loaded up and . . .
the mules just stood there! At that point the older gentleman (the father) came and said the mules were teamed up incorrectly. So they undid them and moved them around. There . . . now they'll move. NOT!!! They just stood there! Totally "STUBBED OUT"! At this point the driver had enough of this nonsense. He said he knew how he'd get those dadburn mules to move. So he got out and he . . . . tied them to his 4x4 diesel truck (that's 4 wheel drive) and pulled the 4x4 mules (one mule with 4 legs and another mule with 4 legs - 4x4) that pulled the wagon with 4 wheels that carried my precious friends and the only hope for me (and the poor mule driver!) to retain any sense of dignity and honor . . . both necessary traits for one who is gifted as a Keeper of Christmas.
And his idea worked. Honor and dignity preserved! The truck was able to pull the mules that pulled the wagon, that held my friends, that held my future as a Keeper of Christmas in tact.
They went up, and up and up the mountain.
When alas they finally arrived at "The Hollow of His Hand" (the name we call our little cabin in the woods) with just a faint smell of diesel fuel and mule manure waifing in their hair. And did I mention they were very pale looking?
At this point you are probably wondering if these dear ladies still call me friend. Yes, as a matter of fact they do!
Despite the stubborn mules who tried to thwart the plans of the Keeper of Christmas, God was faithful and answered my prayer request. Some of these women are new to our church. God did indeed knit hearts together as they encouraged the more out of shape ones up the mountain. They watched after the one who may have a heart condition, they laughed together along the way. The ladies in the wagon knit their hearts together as they sat huddled close together, white knuckles showing, silently praying for their safety as the mules walked right on the edge of the road that drops off. They all saw the Savior that day in a very unique way. They all saw a place of beauty at a slower pace than they would normally take, thus able to appreciate His creation. A Christmas memory was made that will long be told to others that may come and worship with us in the future.
And at the end of the afternoon, when we all went and sang Christmas Carols to my elderly neighbor, the presence of the Lord could be felt. A Capella voices in three parts singing "O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, O Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord" were lifted to the highest point of her cathedral ceiling. The joy, the peace, the hearts knit together as one, the presence of Christ Himself were evidenced by my neighbor. Christmas was placed within the hearts of all of us to Keep within our own hearts and homes.
Mike asked me that evening what I was going to do next year to Keep Christmas. I thought a moment and said, "I think I'll have a drop in". "Oh, that sounds great!", he exclaimed. At some point I need to let him know what I meant by that. He's gonna need to cut some more trees. I'm thinking like . . . parachutes.
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