The Star on Top

It's Christmas time again. I am decorating the tree by myself this year. Kind of a nostalgic feeling if I think about not having anyone here to help. All my little helpers have grown and flown. It is time for them to move on; time for me to see life from new eyes. I always wanted some time for myself. Now I have it. I should enjoy it.
We found the most beautifully shaped tree in the forest this year. The perfect height. The perfect size. Can't imagine why I never saw it before this. We didn't even have to cut the top off. Cutting the top off almost seems to be  a tradition. We always get it into the house and discover that it is too tall; but not this year. This year it was just right. There was only one small problem. The new growth on the top of this very beautiful, perfectly shaped tree was too tender to hold up the star. When I put the star up it flopped over. I had never realized that by cutting off the top, I was putting my just-a-little-bit-heavy star on a stronger portion of the trunk.  The tree had always been able to hold my star before, but not this year.  After all sorts of adjusting and rearranging, I finally decided that the only way I could keep the star upright was to reinforce the top. Rummaging through my kitchen drawers, I came up with a bamboo chopstick. Standing on my step stool, I gently fastened the bamboo chopstick to the top of the tree with bread ties.  In the background Christmas carols were playing and I couldn't help but know that sometimes I, like this tender new growth, am not strong enough to carry the load that has been given me. The Savior, whose birth we celebrate, and whose star we place on the top of the tree, often fortifies me so that I can do what I need to do. His hands are gentle. He provides strength and support, and I get to look like the perfectly pretty Christmas tree. Only I know best that I couldn't do it with out a little extra help reinforcement.