It seems every where I look in stores at their Christmas offerings, I see an eye-catching motif repeated on a variety of goods: kitchen towels, framed art, wall hangings, ceramics and dishes or pillows! The attraction? A red pick-up truck hauling a green Christmas tree! I am always reminded of an incident and favorite memory of the past.
Our teen-age son and his best friend had come from our community in south Mississippi to Austin, Texas where our oldest son, Mark, lived. He and his wife were youth pastors at their church, and the youth fund-raising project was a Christmas tree lot. The Mississippi lads had driven down to help out in a red pick-up truck, Trevor's hard-earned and proud possession.
Trevor's friend, Richard, had been in missionary training school, but was on winter break. The guys had enjoyed their stay, having sold many trees for a successful holiday venture. Needing to get back to Mississippi, the boys took off immediately after the lot closed down late Christmas eve.
They were tired and rumpled, their long-hair (the style then) falling to shoulders, and Richard had grown an unruly beard. Coming over a bridge at one point, they noticed they were being followed by a state trooper. Then they got stopped.
"What are you fellows doing out so late?" the officer questioned suspiciously. They explained they were headed home, showed their ID and answered more questions.
"I'm a missionary," Trevor's scruffy-looking pal offered, which was rewarded with a skeptical look.
"Where did you get that Christmas tree?" the officer demanded.
"We worked at my brother's tree lot for the youth of his church. There was one left, so we're taking it home for Christmas!" Trevor explained.
With that, he let the guys go, but it must have been a sight to see, the little red truck with a Christmas tree aboard, bobbing in the wind on a cold December night with two young adventurers eager to get home for Christmas. No wonder it's a Christmas theme!
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