Less than a week after I put my tree up, I took off most of the ornaments. I boxed them up and put them in my closet, leaving the inexpensive newbie tree looking a little naked. I left a few poinsettia flowers tucked here and there, along with some gold pinecones, a few round balls, and a handful of plastic angels. I removed everything else, everything meaningful.
In anticipation of Christmas tree problems, we gave Teddy an early gift—his own castle. Unfortunately, the distraction didn’t work.
I have always taken pride in having a big beautiful tree. This year, with a new kitten in the house, I opted for a less expensive, smaller version. It’s not that pretty. Still, once I added all the trinkets and the angel on top, it wasn’t bad. However, dangling doodads are just too tempting for poor Teddy. After a week of shooing, spraying, and generally fussing, I simply gave up and undressed my tree.
As I did so, I considered what lesson God might be teaching me through this process.
I love my cat. Teddy has been a much-needed distraction over the last few months. I usually have so much joy watching him play and get into nonsense. He makes me laugh, and I need to laugh.
I also love having a pretty Christmas tree. I enjoy looking at the collection of ornaments. Some have been gifts to our family. Many have been gifts from me to my kids, representing various activities over the course of their lives. Memories are attached to each of those ornaments, memories of special people, places, and moments in our lives.
My cat and my tree, they are both good things, but (this year at least) they can’t coexist. In order to preserve my ornaments, my sanity, and my cat’s life, I had to make some adjustments.
Life is like that. We are given a limited amount of time—a limited number of years in our lives, a limited number of days in our years, and a limited number of hours in our days. And there are lots of good things to fill that time. We want to have it all. We want to do it all. Then we wonder why we find ourselves worn out and grumpy, stressed and strained emotionally, mentally, and financially.
No matter how hard we push, pull, shove and stuff, we can only fit so many things into the time God gives us. It’s up to us to choose how to fill it wisely.
He looks so cute and lovable, but he’s really a mess!
By yesterday morning, my patience had worn thin with Teddy, and the joy he had previously brought me was turning to frustration and aggravation. I wasn’t smiling or laughing any more. I could have a beautiful tree and get rid of the cat, or I could have a less-than-perfect but still functional semblance of a Christmas tree and enjoy my rambunctious little pet. (You know there wasn’t really much of a decision to make, don’t you?)
No matter what the Burger King commercial tells us, we can’t always have it our way. We can’t have it all or do it all. We have to pick and choose, often among a lot of really good choices. In fact, sometimes the only wrong choice is not to choose at all.
Maybe you too are struggling right now, struggling to narrow things down when all your choices seem good and Godly. Maybe you are struggling to pick what to cut and what to keep. If so, I suggest you do like I did. Ask yourself which one brings you the most joy, the most peace, and definitely, the most love. If you have to err, always err on the side of love.
You know, I really do love this ornery cat!