Tim Wildmon
AFA president
November-December 1994 – If you live outside the South, you may not know that football is a religion in this part of the country. Saturdays in the fall are considered “holy” days for those who worship at the shrine of college football. There are not many professional teams down here so college sports are very big. So on football Saturdays either you are in a stadium or you’re getting together with friends and family to watch football.
On one recent Saturday before the big game came on TV, my two oldest children and I were at my brother in-law’s house for a pre-game meal. That’s right, a pre-game meal. (You see, we even use the same terminology as the football team.) Grilled chicken, corn on the cob, tossed salad, bread and ice tea. Makes me hungry just writing about it.
Anyway, we were finished eating – for the first go around – and I noticed Wriley had not eaten her corn on the cob, a vegetable she usually enjoys. When I asked her about it, she grinned and quickly responded by reminding me that at age six she no longer had her two front teeth and was therefore rendered powerless to deal with the corncob. She was right, there is no such thing as gumming corn on the cob. It’s an ugly thought, isn’t it?
“So all you want for Christmas is your two front teeth?” I laughed. I don’t know where that song came from, but I’ve heard it all my life. (By the way, do you know what the going rate for tooth fairy service is today? Kids today get visibly upset at anything less than $1.50 from the fairy.)
Oh yes, Christmas. My favorite time of the year. I’ve been waiting 31 years for a white Christmas here in the hills of Northeast Mississippi. Maybe this year we’ll get a little frost or something anyway. I keep holding on.
But the time between Thanksgiving and New Years Day is a great time of year as far as I’m concerned. Food, fellowship, parties, pageants, and oh yes, did I mention football? I know most folks complain about the hustle and bustle, but to me that’s part of the fun. Going, doing, buying, going, buying, doing, buying, buying, buying, buying, buying and buying. Put that credit card away. And this buying part done is often by people of a certain sex – which will go unnamed in this column – without a conscience.
I’m a rather nostalgic person. I enjoy traditions. Each holiday season I reminisce about Christmases of years gone by, about the days when my cousin and I would compare GI Joes, and smile as we were served fruitcake and then gave it to the dog when no one was looking. We just hoped the dog would eat it.
Most people reminisce this time of year, I suppose.
On a more serious note, I especially relish Christmas Eve when everything starts to slow down, businesses that are open every other day of the year close down, and unusual numbers of cars start appearing in driveways. And for the Wildmon household – before we eat my mom’s lasagna, read the Christmas story, share hugs and kisses and exchange gifts – we all load up in three cars, drive five minutes to the church and join in a brief worship service and Holy Communion. The lights are dimmed in the sanctuary and we, along with 30 or so others, join millions across the country and around the world in singing about the birth of the very son of God, the Holy One of Israel, the light of the world, the prince of peace. A birth which took place almost 2000 years ago and a birth which forever changed the world.
Jesus said that for everyone who believes in Him eternal life awaits at the end of this physical life. God demonstrated his love for mankind by sending Jesus Christ into the world to teach us how to live with one another and to close the gap between God and man through forgiveness of sin by faith in Christ.
Each year I thank God for allowing me to spend another Christmas with my family. God has been good. God has been faithful. He may not grant me a white Christmas in Mississippi, but I rejoice and celebrate because He has granted me peace and joy and a soul washed whiter than Montana snow.
Here’s wishing you and yours a blessed holiday season! 
