I Climbed into the Trash Can - A Christmas Story

I Crawled into the Trash Can – A Christmas Story

Are you in a Christmas cleaning and decorating frenzy like me?  (I imagine you nodding your head up and down)  Sure!  We want our home to be comfortable and cozy, inspiring holiday warmth for our family and guests.  And for this we work and toil willingly.  Well, for the most part.  Unfortunately, that is exactly how I wound up crawling into the trash can.

 

As my holiday schedule expanded, I fell somewhat behind in my Christmas preparations.  The poinsettia that should have been carefully positioned at my front door looked remarkably like a rotted pumpkin.  Yes, the pumpkin I had hollowed and planted with flowers for Thanksgiving was now far from fresh.  In fact, it was oozing by my front door.  Not a pretty sight; a Martha Stewart no, no.

I went to work to resolve this holiday dilemma.  Scooping out the bright yellow and orange flowers from the pumpkin, I then placed them into a pot for the back yard.  Brian, my husband, was unanimously delegated by me to pick up the pumpkin and chuck it into the outdoor trash can.  Next was the intensive sweeping and cleaning away of soil, leaves and messy ooze that had accumulated on the front path. 

As I finally swooshed the very last dust pan full of debris into the large green outdoors trash can, in fell the dusting brush.  Can you say bummer?  I said, “Y U C K!”  I was half tempted to leave it there.  After all, it was old, soiled and of very little value.  Still, duty called.

At 5’-1”, it was impossible for me to bend down into the can to reach the bottom where the brush had landed.  Instead, I would have to lower the trash can down on its side and on to the ground, crawl inside, and grab the brush.  Simple enough I know.

But do you know what had previously been in that trash can; cut grass, palm fronds, no problem.  But let’s not forget the doggie doodie; lots and lots of doggie doodie!  And yet, inside I go to get the job done and make the world a better place for Christmas.

Strange as it may sound, at the moment I entered the trash can, the thought of Christ leaving perfect heaven and coming into this sin filled world, jarred my mind.  He was not too proud to climb into the filth I had created, reach in and pull me free.  In fact, in John 10:10 Jesus said:

“I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

I climbed into the filthy trash can as a small contribution to holiday cheer.  Holy Jesus entered this world, full of sin, to provide a change of destiny to any who would believe on Him. He is your escape from hell and your promise of heaven.

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 

As His own creation, you are of great value to the heart of God.  You are neither too filthy nor used up, past or present, for Christ to reach out and save you from your sin.  All you need do is ask.

“Jesus, forgive me of all my sins.  Come into my heart and live.  Make Your home there.  Change me; rearrange me, according to Your will.  Thank you for forgiveness and my future home in heaven.  Now, help me live for You.  In Jesus name, amen."

Clean, bake, decorate; crawl into the trash can if necessary but remember the true meaning of Christmas; the birth of the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!