Is this a sign?

You described your kitties so well that I had to smile. I've never practiced Christianity but I've heard the Christmas story many times. If you are a Christian, I have an idea for you.

As far as I've heard, the Christmas story is about the birth of Jesus in a manger. Gifts were given to him. Later on in his life he was murdered on a cross.

Why not use this year to build a manger under which you can place gifts. It could be anything from a rough stable-like bed or a nicer cradle. At the head of it, you could use boards to make a cross. Make the baby bed with enough weight to counter the weight of the cross. Next Christmas you could string lights up the cross and around the baby bed. Your treasured ornaments could decorate the baby bed. I'm not sure if you'd be comfortable decorating the cross. The gifts under the baby bed could symbolize the gifts given to Jesus. You could wait until a certain time to put a doll in the bed and gifts under the bed. You could line the bed with sheepskin to symbolize the stable animals. Or you could leave the bed empty. Of course you'd have to find a way to keep the kitties from turning it into their bed.

Other ornaments could be hung on garland on the wall framing the display.

It's just an idea. Do you think it'd work?

>>>I forgot to add that you could have a star either on the top of the cross or on the wall above the garland to signify the star that the led the wise men to Jesus.

As you know, Kal, the tree does have Pagan origins.

This is something that is more important to you than it is to me. I don't care where the tree comes from, I don't care where the presents come from, I don't care that the sabbath was changed from Saturday to Sunday. What I do care about is showing people the love of Christ.

Christmas is what's in your heart. Do you use it as a day to honor Christ? I know you do, and that is what is important. If we had to go back and take out all the Paganistic culture that ran over into Christianity, we wouldn't have anything of any substance (regarding religious holidays) left. Easter eggs are pagan in origin, too.

Besides, the Pagans aren't so bad, are they? Most may not believe Christ is the Redeemer, but they are peace-loving and honor God's (or Goddess') creation. I kinda like the Pagans, and I practice Christian magick.

Jesus doesn't care about that tree...trust me. Your faith...or lack of it...is what defines you as a Christian.

Put your tree up next year. It brings a joyful spirit with it; just use a spray bottle to spray the cats when they get near it, and they'll get the idea.

*hugs*

oh, what was the question then? Jesus sacrifice upon the tree is the only sacrifice that you need. Forget the kitty sacrifice. ok, ha Happy New Year :)

I am glad that you are just kidding about the sign, can you imagine how confusing that would be to hear a parent say that you could no longer have a tree because all of these things happened as a sign. ha

I wrote you a cute little poem (for someone else to title) about your tree,

A loud crash was out of order

I sprang from my place of rest

Tree came a tumblin down

though I can't say it's the best.... (To old )

Repellent didn't do

and the angel was their prize,,,, (cats goals are high)

This precious angel was,

no angel in disguise.................. (spoiled the day)

A bloody sacrifice would have to do

for the destruction of our tree.................(not really)

Though Jimmy(add sons name:) tried to stop them

his efforts saw no mercy.

You know a tree in your home is a sign

that God isn't well pleased.....................( just kidding)

and outer voices questioned

if Gods anger could be appeased.

Kal says, "Ha, you know I'm not serious?"

Jesus isn't talkin to us

I'm not so misinformed

that he would make this kind of bust.

For in the trials of life

His mercy serves to please us

Our topsy turvey tree

wasn't the cause of Jesus.

Whatever the out come will be

for our Christmas tree next year

I want our memories to be

love and peace and cheer.

God bless your next tree.http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/chicago/inspiratio...

P.S. Everyone in my family likes the cool apartment therapy tree! Thanks for sharing it, so funny.

P.P.S I hope that any one above or below me would know that I am not trying to convince this woman to worship Christmas trees, I don't believe in worshiping trees, plants, animals, man, or dolphins in the sea.

She said it herself that she does not really believe this. (though some still think that she does, not you Rev Richie.) I for one I believe her, for Gods sake she loves Christmas trees (oh, excuse me) and takes care of her kids and puts up with crazy animals running around the house! lol

Thank you

Sorry, I'm in a nutty mode today. My daughter corrected every thing I wrote and told me that Kal was a lady and not a man,sorry Kal.

I never heard of any such pagan connection to a Christmas tree. Only that the reason we have a tree is to symbolize the cross and the Christmas tree is shaped to point the direction intelligent people want to go.

For me it's not the tree (though I like Christmas trees) but it's mostly about the lights. I love white ones, colored ones, twinkling, whatever. I'm considering keeping them up somewhere all year but probably won't because I like it to be special.

If you want to do something unique, perhaps make a found object sculpture and wrap it with lights. If you kept your eye out all year long, you'd stumble across stuff that you'd look at and say...gee, that would be perfect for my not-tree. That sounds like it would be fun.

My becoming sign is Capricorn- sextile my venus/pluto in Scorpio, conjunct my neptune in Capricorn, trine my moon in Gemini with saturn in Aquarius in the 1st abode. Capricorn and saturn are linked with epidermis and bones. I even have dry epidermis, yet a great complextion. I even have certainly reliable, in the present day, nicely shaped, white enamel. I even have in no way broken a bone or suffered an pimples attack. i'm 5'7" and weigh adequate to make me obese, yet I even have in no way been called "fat" via everyone. Capricorn becoming has endowed me with being narrow and nicely porportioned. i think of the venus/pluto conjunction that sextiles my becoming makes me look busty and great-hipped. i'm in many cases informed that I even have mattress room eyes, that they are very dark and steel-like, or that i appear as if i'm in no way there (dreamy neptune does this to me). lots of the individuals that I meet and befriend tell me that i'm intimidating. I even tend to stare into people, somewhat than at people and that i like to bypass the line to work out the place the bounds lie. I even have the two ambitious Scorpio and inquisitive Gemini to thank for my primary inquisitions. when I initiate engaged on some thing, I won't provide up till it is executed. i've got been called OCD with the aid of fact I even tend to be a administration freak and would't stand it while some thing isn't executed a undeniable way. I often get my way and have a hard time accepting while i do no longer. If i'm relatively set on getting what i %, I artwork for it or control the hell out of the individuals i'd desire to get it. of course, I save few and intensely unswerving acquaintances. i'm very independant and experience being on my own. i think of the becoming sign, it is aspects, and the planets in indicators that ingredient it impact the two the character and the actual self.

lol When I put up my tree the cat headed for the middle and started to climb up also. It went over, but of course, no decorations had been put on yet. I could just visualize your story and had to laugh. Our kitty still hits the bulbs off and chases them around (I put the plastic ones on the bottom branches). She is tooo cute! I am still putting up a tree next year because it reminds me of Jesus.

Just remember there are people that want your life to be as uninteresting and boring as their lives. They want you to be uninspired and lack the beauty that was enjoyment in times past. Don't let them make you miserable so that you end up lashing out at people the way they do. Trees and gifts are more for children so consider them in your decision. Make the season memorable for your children. I know that Christmas memories are a wonderful part of my life.

I think you should go w/ your feelings. Yes, its a good idea to go w/ another alternative. But beware, next year people will cough up verses that say presents are evil,too. I do agree w/ the whole tree thing though. We didn't decorate @ all this year.

God said have no other gods before me,and I think a

Christmas tree is fine as long as you do not worship it

and make it your god,we can look at a C. T. and see

the light to remind us that Christ is the light,,the tree is

a reminder that he died on a tree[[cross ]] so you can

make a god out of anything.