Wreath Wonderings

The big question this year is, “Where do we put the wreath?”  We’ve never dealt with this dilemma before because each Christmas our round garland from the local fundraiser fits nicely between the framing, but this particular holiday season, some generous fir farmer decided that the dimension ordered meant the inside measurement.  Hence, my 24 inch circle of evergreen spans a liberal 41 inches—more than slightly too large to hang in its usual spot. Needless to say, the decoration was a bit different than what was expected.

A lot about Christmas is.  Mary didn’t expect to have a baby without having sex; Joseph didn’t expect his pure fiancée to be pregnant, and neither expected she would give birth in a barn.  The shepherds didn’t expect a late-night angelic announcement, and the Wise Men didn’t expect to find a king anywhere except a palace.  

But the unexpected ended up being utterly amazing.  Mary got to hold God.  Joseph got to parent Jesus.  The shepherds saw the Savior, and the Wise Men met the One who is “wisdom and righteousness and redemption”(1 Cor 1:30).  All unexpected.  None of what was ordered.  But way better than anything they could have ever imagined.

Maybe my big wreath isn't such a bad deal, after all.

(But I still don't know where to put it.)