Memories That I Can’t Escape

Memories That I Can’t Escape
By Don Twobears

I love this time of the year! Thanksgiving and Christmas, all the good smells as we prepare the “Time Honored Feasts”. I am not in tune with all the gift-giving and whatever, what could I possibly want or need, that I do not already have? I remember all too well, as a child, my Parents did not have much at all, such was the state of affairs of Military personnel in that day and time. However, my Mom and Dad did something about that! We always had a Douglas Fur Christmas tree and the smell of it rings in my mind all the time, it literally filled the house with a fresh and forestry fragrance all of it’s own. There just wasn’t another smell like it. Maybe this could be something to think about, as we enter into this season. Give it some thought.

It always began as the weather would begin to turn cold and of course, here in Texas we would also get the rain. Still as yet, Mom and Dad would set aside a week (In general you understand) where we would begin looking for the changing of the leaves, usually, Maple trees! Now, Texas is not a State that has many Maple Trees, so we have a Park here called “Lost Maples” and that is the first place we would head to. A Gorgeous experience if there ever was one, to go out 2 hours from home and see the Beautiful Maples trees with a new and vibrant change in color. At that time of the year, it was still fairly nice and we would have a small Picnic and enjoy the change, my Dad would tell of His young years, growing up on Orcas Island, State of Washington. He lived on a farm and so as the year would come to a close, there was plenty for them to enjoy.

On the Island, everyone pretty much knew everyone else, that being the case, the seasons festivities were enjoyed by all. Harvest was a busy time for the Community, the last of the grains were in and it was bailing time, the coldest months were close and everyone seemed curiously invigorated. For me it seemed like it was the biggest turning time of the year. There was an uptick in Barn dances and dinners, people gathering together like no other time in the year. All of it was farm food of every type, delicious to say the least, if I die today, I will have known what it is, to Truly Live!

Back here in Texas, we would begin to change the decor of the house to fit the time of the year and this made it all the more exciting. Close to Thanksgiving Day, Pies were made, not the store bought kind, but made from scratch by a Loving Mom. Dad would spend a little more time at the Commissary on Base than usual, looking to complete his herbs for the Bird and the Dressing and “Real Butter”. I don’t care what you have to say about Real Butter and Heart Attacks, if you have never had a Thanksgiving Feast, using Real Butter, you just have not lived! We truly enjoyed the Bounty of food the Lord Provided for our Thanksgiving Day and we learned to include HIM in every aspect of it. I truly Praise HIM for all those years, needless to say, I use these today and we Include HIM as well, as we learned to do back then.

The coming of Christmas was unique every year! Again, we made sure the Lord was the reason for our joy and happiness and I know HE Blessed my Mom and Dad, in showing us how to really celebrate the Lords Birthday. You must understand these two Special Dates were important to us, being that we were a Military Family, many times far away from the USA. Try enjoying Christmas and Thanksgiving with few of the things, that make them wonderful, Banana Trees in the Front yard and about 100 degrees. There were few Christmas trees to choose from, as the Air Force would try and get a tree to everyone, but dismal as they were, it still evoked the same Love and Good feelings to be together. How I miss those days!!

The times we were here in the States, my Dad would pick a day and we would bundle up and head for the “Optimus Christmas Tree” lots, that in most cases ran the full lengths of a street. We would dash from one lot to the next and simply walk about, enjoying the smell of all the trees. Then it was time to go to the “Giant” store and also Sears & Roebucks and smell the fresh popped corn, cotton Candy and hear the Christmas music. You couldn’t have found a better way to spend that day! Then we would button up our coats, slide out into the Cold once again and jump into the car, giggling and squealing together. Dad would heat up the car and we would head back home, run through the cold one last time and go in, to a Pipping hot bowl of Potato Soup and two loaves of French Bread. Talk about sleep that night, we were exhausted but uniquely happy!

Somehow or maybe it was just me, but it seemed that Christmas was always on a Saturday or a Sunday. Then again, maybe it was because we were on Christmas Holiday from school! Whatever it was, we would wake up still giddy and so happy, absolutely Thrilled to be alive. I Praise the Lord for that!! We would run out and Mom and Dad had already been up, Breakfast was ready and we enjoyed a special cup of Cranberry Juice with a Cinnamon stick in it. That day would continue in it’s fun and happiness, the Thrill of the Season, the sweet cold and crisp air and the Hot Cranberry juice, made it all the more joyful! Mom would put on some Christmas Music and we would enjoy it whole-heartedly, with our Cup of Cranberry Juice. Then it was off to Church to Thank the Lord for all HIS love to us!

Back at the house after church we would open our Christmas Presents and squeal again, over and over again. As I said before, we didn’t have much in the way of money, but the Gifts are still remembered today, with a heap of tugging in the heart. The Lord is more than Gracious all the time, but the Love we all felt back then, the fun times together, were more than worth it. Remembering those times, I still get some weepy eyes and a longing to hug my Mom and Dad, just to say Thank You for teaching me what is Real and what is not.

As a child, I had no idea of how to give back to my Mom and Dad for all they did in those times. As an old man now, I know it would do their hearts good to watch their Great Grand Children run around and squeal and giggle, as we did, so I try and do all they did. I Believe this would be the best way to Thank Them! There are no longer, the street lined with Christmas Tree lots, but I spend a fair amount of time looking for the Lots that do exist. We enjoy our candies as back then, though it is more difficult to find those candies now, we still have the Potato Soup with French Bread and the hot Cranberry juice with a cinnamon stick on a cold day. We go to the stores and walk about, enjoying the music, but these days, the stores are more sterile, few with fresh Popcorn or cotton candy. How sad it is for my heart, to see people more bent on acquisition of things, than to elevate good times, with Love and Happiness.

We still have the Feasts, as we did back then and yes…we still use Real Butter, a Fresh Bird and lots of Bread Stuffing, Pies from scratch (That’s my Job too). We still have the Real Christmas Tree and we enjoy the smell of it, as long as we can. This my Friends is what is known as “Following Tradition”. And we still are filled with the Love of the Lord at every step, still inviting HIM to enjoy with us, HIS Birthday! In these days and times, I feel the lose of those, that taught us what this day really meant and how to truly celebrate it. I watch others and know they have missed so very much, their Christmas is never like that of when I was a kid, they lack the Happiness and Joy. Instead they run out and spend money they do not have, or spend everything they DO have, to get things that never last. The day is spent eating and drinking and watching football games and then it’s all over. Instead of a Joyful Satisfaction with Family, they look for the Holidays to be over as quickly as possible, so that they can return to their routines. You can see and feel the anxiety, as they face new bills to pay off, counting the months it’s going to take to do so. Then see in their faces, the dismal prospect of having to do the exact same thing all over again in the coming year. They simply lack something and it shows…sadly!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Luke 2:10-14 “And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

After these verses of Scripture, what else can I say? They have been the Hallmark of our days as we enter into this Season of Joy and Happiness, Thanksgiving and Christmas. What other gift can I recommend to you more than Jesus Christ in everyone’s heart. There is no other gift that Brings so much Joy and Happiness, something for the Family to rally around, than Jesus Christ. My Loving Mom and Dad have been gone from this earth for 20 years now and yet, they taught us the Joy of the Lord. Not just for the Holidays, but for everyday of your lives!

Do you really want to have Great holidays, as well as everyday of your life? Do you want something to remember and also something to look forward to? Do you want those “Old Time Feelings”? The the answer is in Jesus Christ, as it has always been, I know them and have lived them and will live them today, because I know who my Lord and Savior is…Jesus Christ!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

All emboldened Scripture is by the author for emphasis.