This little Christmas tree may not be the most beautiful you have ever seen, and I myself was far from enchanted by it the first time I saw it, but it now holds a special place in my heart. I'll never be able to forget it, no matter how hard I try.

Every year, I look forward to decorating the Christmas tree. My family has several tree decorating traditions that I just love and its wonderful to bust out all of my personal ornaments and find places for them amidst the tangle of branches and lights. I was a little bummed this year because I really didn't think we had a Christmas tree here at Rakuen and consequently that I would have to forgo any and all decorating. Of course, Christmas is still Christmas without decorating a tree, but I love it. Come on, who doesn't? Last week after Sunday service it was announced that the tree was going to be brought in. "Oh wonderful," I thought. "We do have a tree!!"

Well, I got sidetracked doing something else and by the time I made it back to our worship room the tree had been set up, lights and garland had been strung around it, and the last ornaments were just being put on. "Well.....[gulp] maybe I'll at least be able to put on my ornaments that I brought from home." Nope, the tree was over-ornamented as it was. Sigh...ok, maybe next year.

Yesterday, I was able to participate in the filming of a Christmas drama written and produced by one of the young adults here who happens to be a film student. The action and dialogue of the drama is centered around myself and two other girls decorating (yup, you guessed it) the Christmas tree in the worship room. God has such a sense of humor. Of course I knew before yesterday that this was to be the main actions of the drama; the script had been translated for me ahead of time, thankfully. What I didn't realize was that when you're filming a movie, you usually have at least ten takes of the same scene before you get it right and the cameramen have it from every angle. If we put ornaments on the tree during the first take, we had to take them all off again so that we could then put them back on again in the next take. Then I or one of the others would forget our lines or botch up a song and it was off with the ornaments again.

Needless to say, I got my decorating fix. I decorated and redecorated that little tree about fifty times yesterday!! I think I might be ok if I didn't get to decorate another tree for about ten years. I think I could draw every ornament from memory and maybe even tell you how many evergreen bows are on the tree. Jesus is sooo sweet to minister to my heart this way, and remind me to laugh at life's little ironies. I didn't need this, but that's what's so wonderful about my Jesus. He provides for my every need and then delights to give me good things and sweet moments. Thanks!!