Irony...

Yesterday I mentioned on my family blog that when I was a kid our star we put on top of the tree was made from cardboard and tinfoil. It was kind of a relic from the days when my parents, like us, were having some lean years. The funny thing is, we really loved that star. I remember it had a little hole in the middle where you could punch a light through so it would shine. Years later, when we were living in Germany my mom finally got a fancy angel tree topper, so the tinfoil star was replaced. Last time I check it was still in the Christmas box a my parents house.

We have a cute little star tree topper. It was purchased, along with our little tree and box of red ball ornaments, at Walmart on our very first Christmas together in Athens. Last year it suffered a little at the hands of Elijah, but with a little help from the glue gun it was fixed. This morning Sophia was trying hard to get an ornament off the tree and ended up pulling the who tree over. We broke a few candy canes, a lot of ornaments had to be re-attached and the garland and lights had to be rearranged. Our star broke, again. I got out the trusty glue gun to attempt a repair but quickly realized it would be impossible.

No big deal, right? I mean it probably cost 7.99 or something. We could easily replace it. I emailed Matthew in a little vent of my morning frustrations and he said maybe Elijah and I could make one, like the one we had I was a kid. So, just a few minutes ago I cut out a little star from the cardboard box (from my Grandparents, no less! and helped Elijah paint it gold. I have a little glitter that I'll probably find a use for, and maybe I'll punch a hole to stick a light though.

So, it's a little ironic, don't you think? The biggest emphasis for most people during this season is to keep a spirit of giving. For me, since we have little to give, I've tried to keep and an attitude of gratefulness, for all the things that have been given to me. And to remind myself, over and over again, even it feels like I have so little, I have been given so much.

Yeah, so I have a little cardboard star now. Maybe years from now it will be sitting in the bottom of our Christmas box, long since replaced by a shiny new star or angel. And we'll remember, and tell our kids how we used to be pretty broke and made a star out of cardboard one Christmas. Because what's more important is what the star represents, at least, to us.

"Guide us to thy perfect Light"