Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Eagle River Tree Lighting with the Real Santa

Friday evening was the annual Eagle River Christmas Tree lighting held at the Eagle River Town Square. Each year the community gathers to countdown to the brightly lit tree and the Christmas spirit that it brings.
The festivities began at 6:00pm with each of the local elementary school choirs singing a selection of Christmas songs. I went to watch Stephanie one of my guitar students as she sang with the Birchwood Elementary choir. The temperature was a moderate 29 degrees. This was a heat wave compared to the previous week of -18 degrees.


After enjoying the entertainment I walked around with the Stoltenburg family. We got free hot chocolate from the local Starbucks, and there was also free soup, and cookies sponsored by the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce.
The tree, all lit up
The local fire department was there with two of their new fire trucks. Nathan and Jacob both got to go inside to see all the bells and whistles. As the 7:00pm hour approached the community shouted in a countdown and the tree was lit brightly. After being lit up, the mayor announced that the airport control had spotted Santa and he was not too far out.
This is how the fire truck rolls for winter

Coming out the fire truck

In winter parents don't use strollers but instead sleds to transport their children...i'm not even kidding

As we walked around we spotted free horse drawn sleigh rides so we got in line. We waited a good 45 minutes or so to ride but the kids enjoyed it. After the sleigh ride we walked over to the tree and Jacob (5) soon spotted Santa’s reindeer. Upon closer look I saw that the two reindeer each held his own nametag as it was Blitzen and Comet.



On the sleigh ride with some amazing kids!

Jacob then spotted Santa!
“MOM! MOM! It’s the REAL Santa”, he yelled with enthusiasm.
Nathan (Jacob’s brother) quickly asked “What do you mean the REAL Santa? There is only one Santa”
“No, the one’s at all the malls with the fake beards, those are Santa’s helpers, but he has a REAL beard, look! He’s the real one, he’s the real one! Even his real reindeer are here”

We had already waited for 45 minutes in line to ride the horse sleigh but Jacob was content to wait up to another hour in line to talk with the real Santa. So we jumped in line. After about 20 minutes Jacob, tugged on my coat…

“Miss Kristi, my toes are freezing” he told me
“Mine too” I replied
“Yeah, but you know what, I don’t care because it’s worth cold toes to see the real Santa”

His serious tone and determination of waiting in line reminds me of this Advent season. We too are waiting, waiting for the real Christ Child’s birth. Standing in line I saw several other children running around impatiently waiting as their parents tried to occupy their boredom. I saw in five year old Jacob, the excitement that we all should have in anticipation for Christ’s arrival.

There are so many false prophets, and false idols, the bible even warns against them that we are too be on watch. This is like so many of the false Santa look-a-likes. At first glance all Santa’s look the same; a white beard, red suit, jolly belly, but upon closer examination one can see the difference between the mall Santa’s and the real Santa that Jacob found at the Eagle River tree lighting.

The same is true in life. There are so many false prophets, false idols, false gods. Each claiming to be true followers, or the true way to life eternal. The Bible has words for us, to "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”(Matt 7:15-20) “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13–15)

It is our duty as Christians to not follow blindly but use discernment and the Holy Spirit to test such persons, or idols as it says in 1 John 4:1-6 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit” (or those claiming to speak by the spirit) “but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.


It is my prayer in this advent season and always that you would await in excitement the arrival of the true Christ, just as Jacob waited in line, with cold toes earnestly and patiently so we too should wait.

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