The other day, Heather was getting her Christmas decorations out for her office at school… When Heather came home that afternoon, she said she brought the Charlie Brown Christmas tree home to let me know she almost threw it away. But… in her mind, she heard me say, “Noooooooo!”

Upon inspection of the tree, the brown wrapping for the “tree look” was coming undone, the music button playing Linus and Lucy didn’t work, the blue blanket was dirty, and the red ornament was missing… At that moment, I knew exactly how Charlie Brown felt when he picked the tree out in the show…

For those who do not know… I’m a huge Charlie Brown fan. For me, it doesn’t get much better than Charlie Brown. Charles Shultz had it going on with A Charlie Brown Christmas.

Anyway… My three take-a-ways…

Sometimes we need to see beyond what the surface shows.

Charlie Brown infamously selects the worst looking, saddest, bristles falling off, limp limbs tree in the lot…

Look at this dialogue between Charlie Brown and Linus at the tree farm…

Charlie Brown: This little green one here seems to need a home.

Linus: I don’t know, Charlie Brown. Remember what Lucy said? This doesn’t seem to fit the modern spirit.

Charlie Brown: I don’t care. We’ll decorate it and it’ll be just right for our play. Besides, I think it needs me.

Much happens between that scene Charlie Brown picks a Christmas tree and afterwards. To make matters worse, he is reminded of it by all his friends except for Linus. However, by the end of the show, the tree is decorated, bringing everyone together A Charlie Brown Christmas — Ending Restored!.

Be the person who sees what others cannot or do not want to see. The value that we can bring someone by doing just that, many times will show others our heart.

We all need a Linus in our lives. 

Ever notice how Linus is always there for Charlie Brown. Linus is the voice of reason, advice for what it is worth and what Charlie Brown needs to hear. As Charlie Brown takes the tree home to decorate, he stops by Snoopy’s 1st place award-winning dog house and places an ornament on the tree. Still, even then, to make matters worse, the tree sags and droops to the ground due to the weight of the ornament. Talk about being deflated… but, Linus comes along and says, “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.” I never thought it was such a bad tree… Yea, we need a Linus in our lives, if for nothing else, to help us remember why we need to do stuff for the right reasons.

Lastly, what might be the best question Charlie Brown asks, Linus is able to answer…

Charlie Brown: “Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?”

Linus recites Luke 2:8-14:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.

When Linus finishes that last line, he says, “That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.”

That scene just might be the best 1 minute 25 seconds in animated history. Linus and the Christmas story

I love Christmas… it stirs emotions that should be stirred more often. A Charlie Brown Christmas is a good reminder of what we need to do and have in our lives.

Back to my Charlie Brown Christmas tree… I taped up the brown “tree look” paper, put batteries in so the Linus and Lucy theme would play, found an ornament, straightened the branches, and cleaned up the blanket. A few of the wires are still showing, but I did what Charlie Brown did, “This little green one here seems to need a home” and “Besides, I think it needs me.”

Go be a great educator and leader today… Our future needs it…

Remember… Think Leadership and Be For Others…

©2021 J Clay Norton

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