A CHRISTMAS CAROL - STAVE 2

A CHRISTMAS CAROL - STAVE 2

After Scrooge's encounter with Marley it was 2am when he went to bed and fell asleep from exhaustion. As he wakes and listens to his clock chime, he is aware that the clock is chiming midnight. My daughter laughingly pointed out to me Scrooge's reasoning for this, an icicle in the works. He waits, he listens, he looks. No ghost. Relief floods his body and he lays down. All the sudden his mind announces to his body that Marley specifically said a visit would happen at 1, and as the clock strikes 1 our adventure continues.

Again Dickens rewards us with a detailed description. This ghost is a bit of a mystery. Part child, yet like an old man. White, long hair, yet skin as smooth as a youth's. Long muscular arms, yet delicate feet. Wearing a dress of summer flowers, yet holding holly in its hand. Why the opposites? This ghost is the Ghost of Christmas Past, Scrooge's youth, yet now Scrooge is an old man, so the two parts of him are acknowledged in the ghost's makeup.

The one thing that is so important to note is that out of the ghost's head a light shines, like a candle or flashlight. It is there to light up Scrooge's past and help him remember some of the things that made him into the person he is today. However, remember, that the ghost carries a cap, an extinguisher, under its arm, what we would call a candle snuffer. Scrooge begs the ghost to put on its cap, to which the ghost replies that its enough that he forces it to wear it continually all ready. In other words, Scrooge does everything he can to forget his past, but tonight, the cap is removed and memories are remembered.

Out the window they go despite Scrooge's misgivings. The first stop is Scrooge's boarding school. Now, I'm not going to retell the story, but we see a little boy left here by his father over the holidays. As his younger self we see him surrounded by the characters from his books. Surprisingly, it is here that we see Scrooge's first melting of an internal icicle. He wishes he had not mistreated the boy who came to his door caroling.

Then, we meet Scrooge's sister Fanny. Fanny the peacemaker, who asks her unkind father if Scrooge can come home for good. We are starting to see some of Scrooge's formation beginning with his upbringing and father. Dickens goes on to reveal to us that Fanny died in childbirth, the birth of Scrooge's nephew. We leave and travel on.

Old Fezziwig and his generous Christmas party, I think you probably get the gist of this. Note that when the ghost sarcastically remarks about what a little thing the party is to make folks so thankful, Scrooge is quick to correct it. Fezziwig, as the boss, had the power to make his employees "happy or unhappy" to make their work " light or burdensome." The happiness he gave was worth a fortune! Can we just pause a moment and realize that our WORDS are IMPORTANT! Scripture reminds us that "life and death is in the power of the tongue!" Take a moment and reflect on Bob Cratchit and Scrooge's treatment of him. Remember Scrooge has extinguished his past memories. He doesn't reflect on the things that brought him joy and meaning, but after seeing this he desires to speak to Bob. Scrooge's icicles continue to drip.

One more stop - a scene between Scrooge and his fiancee, Belle. She is in the process of releasing him. Dickens tells us that greed is already settled in his eyes. That idol and the pursuit of it has replaced his love for this young woman, so she sorrowfully lets him go. The Spirit shows Scrooge a scene of how her life turned out. As Scrooge sat in his office after Marley's death, she is in the midst of a delightful and affectionate home life. Gobs of children, a husband who loves her, warmth and joy from living beings. While Scrooge clings to his cold, heartless riches.

Scrooge can bear no more of the self-examination. He grabs the extinguisher and snuffs the light of the past out. Again he falls asleep.

As we leave Stave 2, I want to encourage you to look at the hardened spots of your life. We all have them. I'm not going to give you a ten step plan for release, but can I humbly suggest, to myself as well, that we open our hands to the Heavenly Father and allow Him to soften the crusty, hard places. I may not know your name or your situation, but I am lifting you to the Heavenly Father this week in prayer! Blessings!