"And I said, 'It's the tree Mom got us from World War II!'"
Monday, December 19, 2005
(8:33am) Collette’s 21st birthday dawned in golden sunshine and bitter cold – a rather beautiful day, with even the sun considered. Sometime in the morning, a lady dropped off a cheery red apple basket of Christmas fruit for the church (a gift from the electric company). It looked rather delicious there, filled with oranges, candies, tangerines, pears, and three different kinds of apples. And all was good and well.
Friday evening was full of fun and laughter, as usual, when the youth got together to have a good time. Although there was always the serious side, and the night ended towards 12, with Jimmy, OLeif, Collette, Augustus, Joe, Magnus, Boy, Rose, and Molly discussing various such serious topics. This, while Mom and Carrie joked around upstairs while Carrie tried to study. The total list of attendees included: Bob and Madge Wheels, Jimmy, Judah, OLeif, Collette, Augustus Honey, Joe, Magnus, Boy, Susie Popples, Rose, Bob Buckle, Molly, and Samantha Bee. Upon arrival, glass luminaries shown from the picnic tables around the bonfire in the back yard. And inside, Joe was as white as a ghost. He had just torn something in his wrist, thought that he had perhaps broken it or sprained it badly. He opted not to go caroling, just to be safe. Joe was, after all, known to fainting spells… even though he was the ironman.
Meanwhile, OLeif, Collette, and Magnus had just finished packing the third white elephant gift of the evening – Collette’s, although she had no clue what the tin contained. She and Magnus were both pressing with all their strength on the lid of the Christmas tin while OLeif tied it up with the cord of an adding machine. Needless to say, the contents were too big for the tin, but the mission was eventually completed, and it was added to the growing stack of gifts downstairs under the aluminum Christmas tree. Magnus’ gift was contained within a crushed brown paper bag and tied with a great velvet red bow. OLeif’s was more festively attired in a golden velvet bag. The gifts had been purchased from the dollar store. And Magnus was an immediate fan, never having before set foot in a Dollar General. He came away with an official Santa Hat for the amazing price of $1.00.
“I can’t believe it,” he said, munching on his $1.00 box of milk duds and his $1.00 box of whoppers. “Everything’s really a dollar!”
Food was already being served upon arrival – little chicken wings, chips and dip, peppermint patty and peanut butter cup mixes, hot dogs and roasters for the bonfire, plenty of ice and sodas, a triple chocolate chip cake, and other horribly delicious goodies.
And Diana did, indeed, drop by for a while to chat with Mom and Collette while the carolers went a singing with Judah’s accordion. Dad and Joe drifted in and out of the conversation, as did Frances and Linnea (who had both gone to the Village China Wok with Dad for a special treat). It was so goof to see her again after such an absence – four months. But she was so happy with Wheaton and Collette thought she wouldn’t have minded staying another year, if she had had the opportunity. But she had plans to remain in Chicago and get a job for the fall, anyway. In addition, the trip to Europe was canceled in lieu of the need for a reliable car. But she was happy and content – talking of the football players upstairs and all her friends, finals, The Record, etc. But she soon had to leave, having had little sleep the past week.
And as she left, the others returned from caroling, ready to party it up at Club Seven, Joe’s official disco inferno (his bedroom), complete with sound-rocking system and rumble seat (saucer chair, vibrating to the beat of the music). One of Joe’s recent pastimes was to escort his friends to the various regions of the house where the effects of the beat could be felt the most. Perhaps the prime location was the ceiling light at the bottom of the basement steps, which vibrated quite audibly when the beat was good and strong.
Meanwhile, it was that time once again to exchange gifts, following a devotional given by Jimmy. Giggles showed up just in time to participate in the devotional and watch the craziness of the unwrapping of the gifts (as he had already joined in his own youth group’s white elephant exchange the evening before, and had no desire to subject himself a second time.) The gifts were wild, as usual. Molly ended up untying Magnus’ (much to her relief), as the brown bag contained two of their play box beanie babies. She managed to rescue them from the hands of Madge, who begged for them more than once when it was her turn to steal. But Molly refused.
“You don’t understand,” she insisted, clutching them tightly under her chin, “these are very special.”
After all the grand unwrappings and stealings had been completed, Madge took Bob B.’s hugely duct-taped box of weaponry (a light-saber spoon) and a large plastic light-up lamb (from the previous year’s white elephant).
“I don’t want the lamb!” Madge carried on, laughing for awhile.
Jimmy received Joe’s gift of a box (which had once held a light-up deer for the front yard) of mostly empty shampoo bottles from the Hair Saloon (of which he had rescued from the trash).
“Oh, and Jimmy, if you want the light-up deer, you can get it for eleven dollars at Wal-Mart,” he joked.
Judah took Augustus’ CD rack (which both Rose and Collette had owned prior to his capture). OLeif won Madge’s box of handmade balloon volleyball, complete with balloons and string. Collette finally managed to end up with almost the least-wanted gift from Bob B. – a set of coupons (including an eyeglass company and free passes to the indoor go-karts at The Mills) and an audio tour guide CD to be used while driving up Mt. Washington, Hew Hampshire – all tied in a plastic Walgreen’s bag (after Judah had been the first proud owner).
“We just found that stuff lying around in the car,” Susie was saying, who had hitched a ride with the Wheels.
Augustus took OLeif’s velvet bag of things such as a summer sausage and a musical Christmas tie (after having also been owned by Judah). Joe ended up with a Christmas stocking from Jimmy of disgusting things such as a yard-long gummy snake (of which Magnus began eating before taken by Joe). Magnus took home a little book on Corrie Ten-Boom, which he tore to shreds and used in a puppet show with himself. He ended up taking home two pages. Boy took Susie’s unopened package of wooden brain puzzles (after Judah, Collette, and Bob had owned them). Susie ended up with Molly’s unusually painted mailbox (which had sat in her closet for years) and was quite colorful (after Collette, Susie, and then Madge had owned it before Susie took it back again). Rose took the tin from Collette – the lid popped off magnificently upon untying the electric cord and out flew three Christmas puppets (which Madge stole and then Rose took back again and which Magnus played with a good part of the evening). And Samantha ended up with a collection of old religious paraphernalia from Judah’s basement, which no one stole and which she left behind, on “accident.” Needless to say, it had been a much more funny event if one had been present instead.
Meanwhile, the aluminum Christmas tree confused Judah. “I’m sorry,” he laughed, apologizing, “but that is the ugliest tree I have ever seen in my life.”
He was met with protests from Madge and Susie who both explained that their parents had the same trees when they were younger, and that the color wheel made it light up pretty.
“I don’t care,” Judah insisted, crossing his arms, “it’s still the ugliest tree I’ve ever seen.”
When Carrie heard about it later, upstairs studying, she laughed at Mom. “See, Mom? No one gets it. I remember when I was little in Sunday School, in fourth grade, and they asked us to draw pictures of our Christmas trees. Everyone else was drawing these nice little green trees. And mine’s silver. So they ask, ‘Oh, Carrie! What kind of a tree is this?’ And I said, ‘It’s the tree Mom got us from World War II!’”
Earlier, everyone had gathered upstairs to watch Boy’s performance on the xylophone of “Mario Unleashed” with three friends. And he was, indeed, to be flown out to California Monday morning for another performance. Even Dad was impressed, who never gave such complements lightly. And the evening was soon ended.
Saturday and Sunday was a flurry of practice for the kids’ Christmas program in the drafty old hay barn dressed in white twinkly lights and green wreaths and garlands with Mary-Jane, Boy, and Starr on keyboard, Judah on percussion, OLeif on violin, and Jo-Jo on guitar. Except for the minor troubles of the manger falling over at rehearsal on Saturday and performance on Sunday, Rose griping about being Gabriel, Starr accidentally hitting the synthesized drum rhythm button during the performance, and various other silly things, all went quite well. And there was a trip to Soulard Market, Crown Candy Kitchen, and Art Mart for OLeif, Collette, Rose, and Molly after the rehearsal on Saturday. Magnus could not come as he had too much work to do and a wedding to attend that evening. It was a good time all around and Molly was shocked to find that the BLT she ordered at Crown Candy was twice as big as her mouth and half of the sandwich was bacon (at least two inches thick)… Youth on Sunday again and a fish sandwich over “Oceans 12” back at the apartment. But again, good times, good times.
Meanwhile, Mom, Joe, and Linnea dropped by to bring her lunch and to inspect the family Christmas letter. Joe and Linnea drew ridiculous faces on the white board while Mom and Collette discussed the news in the letter. Linnea’s hair was curled nicely and she wore a sparkling magenta shrug which reflected like a disco ball off the walls in the copy room. It was one of those easier days in the midst of Christmas busyness, and Collette liked it. During the quiet of the afternoon, and the lack of work, she read from Matthew Henry’s Commentary concerning Genesis 2:15:
“Paradise itself was not a place of exemption from work… We were none of us sent into the world to be idle. He that made us these souls and bodies has given us something to work with; and he that gave us this earth for our habitation had made us something to work on… The sons and heirs of heaven, while they are here in this world, have something to do about this earth, which must have its share of their time and thoughts; and, if they do it with an eye to God, they are as truly serving him in it as when they are upon their knees… Nature, even in its primitive state, left room for the improvements of art and industry… while his hands were about his trees, his heart might be with his God. There is a true pleasure in the business which God calls us to, and employs us in.”
And she continued to make entries into her lovely brown leather journal from OLeif – made in Italy, with a bronze medallion fastened to the front cover. It was chubby little book, unlined – quite perfect. A Birthday/Christmas gift. But it was once again that two in the quiet afternoon syndrome, and Collette was ready to go home.
At around three, Isabella came by to drop off snacks for the Session meeting that night. She was so sweet – cherry strudel on a dish and little treats in a Christmas tree shaped basket tied with a Scottish plaid ribbon and everything wrapped in cheery cellophane.
Later, Collette listened to another absolutely amazing hell-fire-brimstone-and-GRACE sermon by Johnny O. – an awesome Sinners-in-the-hands-of-an-angry-God preacher. A MartinLuther-JohnCalvin-JonathonEdwards-CottonMather-CharlesSpurgeon-JohnPiper-R.C.Sproul-Dr.Benton-ScottChurnock brownie brother preacher – sent shivers sometimes. It made her just want to run out to the world and be a light, a steady God-filled light to be a messenger of His wrath and glory and holiness – to all the far corners of the world. It was a bell ringing for wrath and grace and joy – the sweetest music she had ever heard. How would it be without the fall in that fair green land, that Garden of heavenly beauty? Collette could not even fathom history without its fall. How then, would she ever have known of God’s unsurpassable unspeakable and glorious grace? As Johnny O. went on, it made his heart hurt to think of the unsaved under a faithful God, who would do as He said. She felt the same. Sometimes she wondered if the old story she had begun to write, was coming true.
Lucia emailed her that morning:
“hey collette. i just wanted to say happy birthday. you’re legal! don’t get trashed or anything:) I love you and I hope you have a great day!
Lucia”
It was just a beautiful day.
”I wonder as I wander, out under the sky
How Jesus the savior, did come to die
To save lowly people like you and like I
I wonder as I wander, out under the sky
”Sweet Mary laid Jesus, within a cow’s stall
Came wise men and farmers and shepherds and all
The blessings of Christmas heaven did fall
And God’s promise of ages, to them did recall.”
– “I Wonder as I Wander”