Phil Robertson - Exploring the Joy of Christmas: A Duck Commander Faith and Family Field Guide

EXPLORING THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS

Copyright 2015 by Phil Robertson and Kay Robertson

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Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

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ISBN 978-1-62157-494-1

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To our sons, daughters-in-law, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, all of whom bring Christmas joy to us 365 days a year.

Contents

Contents

H at tip goes to our good friend Bob DeMoss for helping us tell the story, to our new friends at Regnery FaithMarji Ross, Mark Bloomfield, Katharine Spence, Maria Ruhl, John Caruso, Emily Bruce, and Patricia Jacksonas well as our old friends Mel Berger and Margaret Riley King at William Morris Entertainment. Were eternally grateful to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit for making Christmas something to celebrate.

Courtesy Russell Graves

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

PHILIPPIANS 4:12

O ur exploration of finding the true joy of Christmas starts with a heart of contentment regardless of our circumstances. You might want to read that again. Miss Kay and I have discovered what it means to be content no matter what. We have been so poor there were many Christmases when we didnt have enough to eatunless we went out and plucked food up from the ground, picked it off of a tree, or shot it from the sky. On the other hand, weve benefited from a thriving duck call business and television show. Through all of that weve learned a thing or two about joy.

At the top of the list is this undeniable fact: true joy is a gift that Jesus gives when He changes our hearts. Once that happens, regardless of our lot in life, well be good to go. All we have to do is keep our eyes on Himnot on the stuff this old world peddles. Hey, there isnt a kitchen appliance, flat screen TV, cellphone gadget, or piece of clothing that can bring you lasting joy. I see them yuppies whipping out their platinum credit cards buying everything in sight thinking their purchases will make them happy, happy, happy. When the bill comes due, get back to me on how that joy is working out, see what Im saying?

Personally, I avoid the mall at Christmas at all costs. But then again, I avoid the mall during the rest of the year, as well. Masses of shoppers clogging the aisles on the hunt for a good deal make me nervous. Id much rather do my hunting down by the river where its peaceful and quiet. That said, Miss Kay and I thought itd be a slick idea to invite you into our home to see what we did do over the years to maintain a spirit of contentment. Hey, youll see a little redneck engineering can go a long way when times are lean.

HUNTING FOR THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS TREE

Americans spend more than $1 billion on Christmas trees, fake or real, each year. I get mine for free. I just go and chop one down. They dont get any fresher than that. You say, Where do you find one to cut? Thats simple. I have probably traversed every creek there is in northern Louisiana. Ive covered just about all of them either on foot or Ive paddled em in a piroguethats a long, narrow canoe for you citified folk. I always keep a sharp eye out for the makings of a great Christmas tree and then make a mental note of the location.

I know all of the good spots. Ive been doing that since my childhood. Admittedly, Ive learned theres a right and a wrong way to go about that. Not long after I had become a Christian, Miss Kay, Alan, and I went out to fetch us a treenot at a lumberyard or department store like they do in Yuppieville. Since times were hard and we didnt have any money, we walked through a thick patch of trees where I had spied one earlier. Miss Kay didnt recognize the area so she said, Now, Phil, were not cutting down a tree where we shouldnt be cutting, are we?

No, no. We cant be doing that, I said. Several moments later I heard the engine of an approaching pickup truck. I was like, Everybody get down! We all hit the dirt. Ive never seen Miss Kay move that fast. While she was on the ground, she said, Okay, why are we hiding if its okay for us to get the Christmas tree here?

Well, I thought it was okay. Maybe we shouldnt be here, I said, clearly busted.

Hey, if youre having to hide out when you get your Christmas tree, Miss Kay said, standing up and dusting the dirt off of her jeans, youre probably taking it from someplace you shouldnt be. Ill admit as a new Christian I was still a little bit shaky on some things. Now that we own a few hundred acres, I no longer have that temptation, see what Im saying? And, now that we have a little extra money, were able to just buy one if I dont want to fool with that whole lumberjack scenario.

Either way, we usually get our tree during the first week of December. Miss Kay keeps it up in the house into January. You say, Why not just buy a fake one and use it year after year? Nope. Theres nothing like the smell of a fresh tree. And Miss Kay has a field day decorating it. Always has. When we had no money, shed find a way to beautify the tree with Spanish moss or garlands handmade out of popcorn and cranberries. The last twenty years weve gone for more of a hunting theme where shell string together shotgun shellsnot live ammo, mind you, spent hullsduck decoys, and such. I hear tell you can buy them that way these days.

We just made them ourselves.

I mean to tell you, nobody beats Miss Kay in the Christmas decorating departmenteven back when we had no money. Wed go into the woods to gather magnolia leaves and all kinds of outside plants and pinecones. Shed spray-paint them with two dollars worth of silver or gold paint and then mix them up with some fresh-picked red holly. You might say the woods was our Walmart. Thats a fact. Hey, wed even forage for things in the dump. It wasnt always trash. We found all kinds of Christmas decorations, like a set of little reindeer someone had thrown away.