What decorates your tree this year?

We have gone through the cycle again- real tree, artificial tree, no tree, back to real tree again. Fortunately real trees cost less in Canada than in the US. Now is the time to get all the tree decorations out again. I have some that my mother saved from kindergarten! Dawn has one for nearly every Christmas since she was born.

We like the home-made decoration look. It is amazing to see how some trees are decorated so perfectly, like from a fancy department store; or others with that quaint country look. There are so many legends as to how the tree grew its way into Christmas tradition that I don't know which one is true. I do, however, see the picture of the Christmas tree as an example of our family characteristics. What decorates your "family" tree this year?

I love to take our children when they are small and turn all the house lights off leaving only the tree lights flashing. There is a wonder, a sort of dream-like trance that draws them (and me) in to a quiet stare. All over the tree are trinkets of awe, simplicity, joy, love, and peace. Our family has ornaments hanging on them too, but what kind?

A focused family is aware of the characteristics that they want to see lived out in the actions and reactions of their relationships. Criticism, anger, frustration, stress, confusion, power struggles, tantrums, fighting, selfishness, bitterness, and others like these sure can make your family tree drag the ground. In fact, it can make your tree look like the kind that has not been watered for several days. Who wants a family atmosphere that saps the life right out of you?

A family can be different. What do we dream family life to be like?

Love,
respect,
harmony, care,
nurture, peace, joy,
commitment, team-work,
purpose, and others like these
can make your family the kind that
everyone
wants to
be around.

It takes purpose and intention to make a difference. A Christmas tree can be lopsided and have holes in it and even too short or too tall, but with the right decorations the flaws fade away. How will you decorate this year?

Bryan