Even though many members of my extended family (myself included) have never seen the little mechanical Christmas tree stand that now sits in my nephew Clarence Krause’s home in Saskatchewan, we all hold a special place for it in our hearts.
More than just a neat little trinket from a by-gone era, the little stand – manufactured in Germany in the early 20th century – symbolizes God’s provision for us through the generations. That simple mechanical device, which plays Silent Night (one of the all-time great sacred carols) as it slowly turns the tree around, played a role in delivering our family from a tumultuous and violent period of history.
From the beginning
The winter of 1911 was very bleak in the Ukraine, especially for Mennonites.
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Still, amidst the dark rumours, there was some joy, some comfort, for my family still had their faith. They would celebrate the birth of Christ in freedom, not in fear. Jacob and Helena’s oldest sons, Jacob and Peter, bought the musical Christmas tree stand as a present for their parents. On Christmas Eve, the family gathered around the tree to watch it spin in the glow of the candles it had been adorned with.
Then the door burst open….
However, without warning, the calm was briefly shattered. As the stand clinked away Silent Night, the door burst open and a band of ruffians stormed in, all holding guns. Shock blitzed through the family, wondering what would happen next. They watched as the uninvited guests became totally still, then backed out of the house and closed the door, leaving the room as peaceful as it was before their intrusion.
That year the family celebrated not only Christmas but Thanksgiving too, for their God had preserved them. God had used that small, seemingly insignificant device, to signify his lordship over our family. His message – whether conveyed through the ‘miraculously’ rotating tree, or the sanctity of the family quietly celebrating the birth of His Son – registered loud and clear to the would-be bandits: “Hands off!”
When it came time for the family to flee the Ukraine in 1923, they were told to leave everything behind. All personal belongings would be confiscated on the train. But the tree stand held such precious memories that the Krause boys couldn’t leave it behind without a fight. Before leaving the country, they stealthily tied the contraption to the bottom of their train car. When the train chugged its way to Latvia, the boys got out at a stop there and retrieved the heirloom. They wanted the transport the evidence of that first remarkable Christmas Eve, so that all of us future generations could be blessed by the story of God’s faithfulness.
Would you like to know the God who protects? You can ask Him into your life to be your Savior like the Krause family members did so many years ago. Although much has changed with the family, God never changes. He would love to have you be part of His family. Why not sincerely say the following prayer and He will come into your life as He promised:
Lord Jesus, I really would like to be part of Your family. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. Come into my life today and be my Savior and Lord of my life. Amen.
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Thanks for finding the time to share this with us, just loved it.
Christmas is smile for it means happiness for our whole lives because our God is the ruler of our destiny, from His word there is true acceptance , acceptance that may say freedom of speech, freedom that comes from our heart, the truth in yourself and to our Lord God.being with our God “You are true person” because with the word of God teach you not to fear but to face Life!
as it said in Romans 8:15-16
for you did not receive the Spirit of bondage again to fear but you received the Spirit of adoption by who we cry out “Abba Father”, the Spirit himself bear witness with our spirit that we our children of God.with our faith to God that makes us to stay even there is trials comes in our way the word of God is our guide lines that makes us to walk with love to others and with the understanding that we show to them is Gods love
for the tree is symoblize “YOU” as you can make also a tree by doing foundation of true love and peace and hope to everyone, a chance to live…and every leaves in a tree , you become fruitful it because all the word of God you apply to yourself and to others both of you have peace in hearts and love of God and once you share to other it build another tree of life to everyone and you leave heart print,
and you may just know many coming next in you because of the word of God comes in your life and accept you as the whole you for Christmas is complete in Gods love to those who trust Him.is totally blessed, for christmas is blessed for all And Christmas that you may have is you .nspecial relationship with our Lord God
In Jesus name
Amen