Our plan last year was to get a live tree this Christmas to help support local, small business owners instead of The Man who imports trees made in China. The Man being nationwide franchises like Walmart, Target, Kmart, etc. You get the picture.

The plan was: Buy tall-ish live tree outside the Walmart on Nolensville, buy lights from inside Walmart, and head home to make an event out of tree decorating. We were even planning on getting more decorations since the ones we had were barely enough to cover our five-foot tall Kmart-bought plastic tree with built-in lights.

That was the plan.

So after Christmas 2010, our faithful little two-year old Chinese tree was returned to its box for good — taped up, and then brought to a drive-thru Goodwill Drop Off.

And then life happened this year. Hospital trips both emergency and elective came along with the loss of my part-time job, and we’ve been pinching pennies and making budget cuts since the end of August.

While I was at our organization’s Winter Conference, Kyera sent me a text message:

“Where’s our tree? I was going to put it up but it’s not in our storage.”
“Are you sure? Did we donate it? I can’t remember.”
“Oh right! LOL. We did!”

Up until yesterday, I kept thinking about getting a tree. Definitely not a live one because they’re expensive, but a Chinese one bought from The Man. A five-foot tall tree is $80 now, fifty percent off, at Target, but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on a tree when that money could and should go to groceries. When your priorities are down to food, clothing, shelter, and medical bills, there’s absolutely no room for “Christmas Tree” in the budget. Or clothing for that matter. Food and shelter is far more important. And paying medical bills.

Kyera is such a trooper to not mind us not having a tree. It doesn’t bother me either. But I did put up our gorgeous Martha Stewart wreath so people driving by our house wouldn’t think we weren’t celebrating Christmas. (Albeit it’s not your traditional wreath…)

Don’t get me wrong. We’re not starving and we did splurge on each other’s Christmas gifts. Kyera got a Clarisonic and I got a Kindle Fire. We are grateful that we were able to do this for each other. Our lives since August may have been a rough ride, but it pales in comparison to the people of Mindanao who are now homeless and have lost so much. Or the homeless of Nashville. Or children who live in homes without heat, electricity, and running water. I simply cannot bring myself to complain or feel bad that we are celebrating Christmas without a tree.

I’m thankful for the roof over our heads, our three adorable boys (Fine, dogs.), our car, our friends, and our God who sent His Son to take on human flesh so that one day He could die for us.

Yes, I simply cannot bring myself to complain.

From us to you and yours, Merry Christmas. May yours be filled with as much love as ours.