The Wandering Sheep: Episode 2 – Living the Christian Life
How to wait out a storm...
December 14, 2025
Last Monday, Dec. 8th, was the day before the storm. The prediction: the worst winter storm of the season was going to pound the Red River Valley into submission! My wife works at a local Hornbacher’s at the checkout. She noticed an interesting thing happening: instead of milk and bread dominating the cashiers for the next day, there was a plethora of baking supplies purchased. Upon asking, she found out that everyone had decided to spend the predicted snow day in the house making Christmas cookies and other holiday delights. Neat way to spend your time in a snow storm, isn’t it?
She often has a question of the day she asks employees and customers alike. As you could maybe now understand that day’s question “What was your favorite childhood Christmas cookie?” Everyone thought back to their childhood, whether it was 5 or 80 years ago, and remembered what that favorite treat tasted like. Yum! Perhaps you can also recall who made it, what the baking of it smelled like, and even how your home was decorated.
For myself, I loved my mom’s sugar cutout cookies (decorating them was fun too!) as well as Pirelli and Anise Puffs. The last two are Italian specialties. But there was one cookie that beat out my mother’s: Great Aunt Frieda. Her sugar cookies were truly amazing. As far as I know, no family member found a way to preserve her secrets...
Think back: what was the Christmas season like for you as a kid? Did check out the toys in the stores, or if you are my age, the Sears, JCP, and Montgomery Ward catalogues? Was there a Santa “hut” downtown, where you could wait in line? Of course, there must have been the ringing of the bells as you walked around town? I loved the huge model train set in the basement of Doerflingers Department Store in La Crosse.
How about church? Our little white church building helped support a grade school with another church. We had our own kid’s service combining those of us lucky enough to go to that school with the public-school kids. Do you remember what your passages were? Did you make your parents proud? Or do you remember everyone having a laugh over the silly things that happen when children get in front of people? I normally behaved as mom played the organ and was always there... at least that’s what I remember. 😉
We could go on for a long while traveling memory lane. Christmas is full of special memories. For others, it’s a tough time. For some, it is full of sadness. For many it is a time of real loneliness. Family is no longer with them, separated by death, divorce, or location. There may be few close friends nearby, but even they may be unable to be part of your holiday schedule due to their own commitments.
We do have family with us, always. Our heavenly Father is always a prayer away. The angels are always watching over us. God’s Holy Word is at hand to read or listen to. Consider this: our church family is just down the road and instead of walking or riding a horse to church, we can drive, or get a ride, to join with others of our faith family to praise the one who came down to earth that first Christmas Eve to live just like us. Yet he was without sin! This is our Savior, Jesus, Christ, of course. He loves us more than any other family or friend ever could. Jesus died for us so we can be part of his heavenly flock.
It is great to walk down memory lane, especially at this time of year. Don’t forget what all this fuss really is about. The one who leads, guides, loves, and saves his very special flock of sheep, us, is born.