Unlike most kids, my favorite Christmas song wasn’t “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” or “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.” Nope. It was “Walking in a Winter Wonderland.”
Does that sound strange? Being the imaginative kid that I was, I created my own version of a winter wonderland in my head.
Every time I heard that song, it transported me there. In it were snow, talking snowmen (of course), and Christmas trees full of colorful sparkling lights and shiny ornaments.
In other words, it was a perfect place full of adventure.
The closest I ever got to experiencing a real wonderland was at Sears. Yes, as in the department store. Does that sound strange too?
The Sears I am referring to was the old store that was located on Central Avenue. When I was growing up, we went there quite often, especially at Christmas.
To this day, I still remember this one trip to Sears. I don’t remember how old I was exactly, but I was still in elementary school.
Anyway, we entered through a side door that lead into the appliance department. If you turned to the right, you went into the main store. Go to the left, and there was a little room that usually held lawn and garden supplies. This year, the room was full of Christmas decorations.
When I stepped over that threshold, it was as if I left reality behind and walked into a Christmas wonderland. I was surrounded by beautiful, shiny Christmas decorations, Santa figurines and flashing lights.
Plus, Christmas music was being played. I just stood there and took it all in. To me, it was perfect and wondrous. I didn’t want to leave. Unfortunately for me, my mother had other plans. I asked if I could stay there by myself while she shopped. She told me no because it wasn’t safe to leave me there by myself.
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (KJV)
As much as l loved my wonderlands, both semi-real and imagined, I know there is nothing that compares to the perfect splendor of Heaven. In fact, I’ll say that Heaven is beyond what we can even envision or imagine on this side of eternity. That being said, there’s only one way to enter it:
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6 (KJV)
Now that I am an adult, do I still have to experience of entering a wonderland? Strange as it may sound; yes, I do: when I am at church. When the choir sings, I sometimes feel as though I have been transported to the outskirts of Heaven. It’s perfect there. (Now, if I was singing in the choir, I don’t know if anybody would be imagining Heaven.)
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book, “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.