Surviving the Season of Christmas – Part 3 of 4: When Your Husband Discovers Artificial Snow…
Let it snow,
Let it snow,
Let it snow…..
Oh, and did it ever snow here in November as well as over a good part of our United States. Unusual for Kentucky…
Equally unusual:
It also snowed in early December…
in our basement…
What?
One fine Saturday morning, after a hearty breakfast at an old favorite, The Café (www.thecafe.ws ), John and I popped in a fun shop called Work the Metal in Butchertown. (www.workthemetal.com )
Filled with eclectic gifts for those hard-to-buy-for-souls, we became amused at every turn. Half of Louisville must have been shopping that morning.
Sidebar: Should you shop there, please do not miss Cellar Door Chocolates, which also happens to be in that building. The sweet-as-pie chocolatiers frequently offer free samples which translate into multi-dollar purchases. Our personal favorite? Try their dark chocolate peanut butter cups with sea salt. (www.cellardoorchocolate.com ) I digress…
While shopping in Work the Metal, we saw an adorable Charlie Brown tree covered in what looked like snow. I had a fit over it. Precious piglet ornaments adorned it.
Ever the Artiste-with-the-eye, Hubster proclaimed, “I can do that!” After delivering me home, he escaped to Hobby Lobby and procured one can of artifical snow.
Unbeknownst to yours truly, he also hunted in our yard full of sticks, thanks to a recent storm, and snagged the perfect Charlie Brown tree to be “snowed upon”.
Sorta forgetting about his pronouncement, we went about our business for a few days until we decided it was time to drag out the Christmas decorations.
Down, down, down to the scary basement (!!!) we went. Trip, after trip, after trip up the stairs, we climbed, loaded with Christmas décor.
Sporting a black sweatshirt, I happened to look down and realize I was now covered in white something. Showing it to John, he matter-of-factly said, “Oh, that’s my new snow!”
Huh?
Sure enough, the newly snowed upon Charlie Brown tree was hanging upside down, no doubt drying, waiting to be taken upstairs and decorated. Now, more in tune with the puzzling scenario, I realized the gray, cement floor was also white.
As were the soles of our tennis shoes.
As were the mantle decorations.
As were just about everything else in that little room.
Not even slightly phased, John simply stated, “It wipes off. No big deal.”
Right.
I continued to decorate while he assembled and decorated his creation. Wait ‘til you see which ornaments he used…
My Mother had a lovely collection of Lalique crystal ornaments (www.lalique.com ) we’ve had stuffed in a drawer for years. That would not make her happy.
I made the grave error of starting that collection for her years ago. In the beginning of their production, the ornaments were only about fifty dollars. They increased year by year until the last year I bought one, it was nearly one hundred and fifty dollars. I told Mother she had plenty as of that year. (!!!)
She loved the ornaments so much, that besides decorating for Christmas with them, she hung them from her dining room chandelier, year round.
I believe she’d love John for his efforts. This tree would indeed make her very happy. Here’s our finished product:
So where in the world are we headed with this lovely discovery of artificial snow? So glad you asked….
While the artificial snow is excellent for decorating indoors, I believe we’d all agree real snow, only made from weather our Creator Himself created, is:
Beautiful to look at.
Fun to play in.
A sight to behold.
Likewise, the REAL Word of God is our plumb-line for surviving not only this Christmas Season, but our world on a daily basis.
We must guard our hearts and minds from artificial or false prophets.
Did you know there are sixty-seven verses about false prophets? (Checkout www.openbible.info )
Four in particular help open our eyes:
#1 – 1 John 4:1-6 says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. “ (ESV)
#2 – 2 Peter 2:1 says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” (ESV)
#3 – Matthew 7:15, from the Phillips version, begins this section of Scripture with “Living, not professing, is what matters:
Be on your guard against false religious teachers, who come to you dressed up as sheep but are really greedy wolves.”
One frightening real-life story occurred right here in Louisville, several years ago. There was a wolf in sheep’s clothing who affected many of our friends and families, including our own family. We were all duped by a teacher in a Christian school. It was beyond frightening.
I still believe God sent an angel, a new student who arrived mid-year, to unveil this wolf in sheep’s clothing. Upon observing this teacher’s behavior, he immediately said, “This is not right.” He headed straight for the Principal’s office, revealed his observations, and the teacher, when confronted, literally fled the country.
#4 – Romans 16:18 says, “For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve.” Scores of us were deceived.
May we heed Jesus’ advice to the Disciples in Matthew 10:16 to survive the Season of Christmas, and the New Year forth coming:
“Stay alert. This is hazardous work I’m assigning you. You’re going to be like sheep running thru’ a wolf pack, so don’t call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.” (The Message)
Amen.
Guard your hearts.
Stay alert.
Study your plumb-line, God’s Word.
And while you’re at it, go grab a can of artificial snow and have some fun.
‘Til next time!