Can a Christmas tree planted in memory of Ruth and Barry’s grandfather speak to their father Harry? Harry’s been bitter for years about the death of his wife Charlotte on Christmas years before. He asks, “How could a God that loves us let Charlotte die?” He never got an answer he could accept until he told the story about the tree. “Why did one have to die for the other to live?” He asked the children, unsure himself of the answer. All the bitterness of all the years seemed to come back suddenly and he began to feel tears well up in his eyes.”That’s what Charlotte said, ‘He had to die to give us life,'” he almost shouted. He now understood that the tree had a message for him all along. All these years he hadn’t seen it. Jesus had to die so we could live. We couldn’t sacrifice ourselves, we weren’t worthy, but He was. Now it was all clear, Jesus had died to give him life. “O Lord how could I have been so blind!! I need you Jesus,” he thought. Richard Slazer was reading in John when he heard the tree fall. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but if it die it bringeth forth much fruit.” He got up from his chair and went out in the yard to look at the fallen tree. As he looked at the base where it had cracked and broken he noticed a tiny branch poking it’s head up through the soil right next to the broken stump. Perhaps a new tree will grow in its place, he thought, as he hurried in to escape the coming storm. This story has been given away by the author as a booklet for many years and is now available on Kindle. It’s about 8 pages long and can be read to your family in about 10 minutes. It’s a great read to give to your family for Christmas. The Gospel is very clearly presented.
