November 2025 – A Writer's Daughter

The Red Kettle Campaign

The “Red Kettle” campaign is back! Collecting money donations in a big pot started in 1891, initiated by Salvation Army Captain Joseph McFee in San Francisco. He needed money to fund a Christmas dinner he hoped to provide for “San Francisco’s many poor souls.” “Today, generous contributions to the kettles enable The Salvation Army to bring the spirit of Christmas to people who would otherwise be forgotten.”

Bell ringing is a traditional feature of the Salvation Army Red Kettle campaign. Paid and volunteer staff stand at the kettles ringing faithfully. Sometimes workers play musical instruments or recorded Christmas music. Once I saw a kettle volunteer entertain shoppers with animated dance steps as she rang; she was having fun! Another time we chatted with an older ringer named Charlie who asked for prayer for his own needs. Apparently, the Christmas song “Silver Bells” from the movie “The Lemon Drop Kid” was inspired by the tradition of kettle bell ringers standing outside city department stores.

I enjoyed sharing the book Gus and Grandpa and the Christmas Cookies, by Claudia Mills, illustrated by Catherine Stock (1997), with my ESOL students. In the story, a boy and his grandpa encounter the red kettle and a bell ringer, which is new to the young boy. A sweet conversation and a giving response follow. And I guess some bell ringers dress as Santa!

While in-person shopping is declining due to online purchases, and fewer businesses welcome Christian charities, I will be shopping about locally and be on the lookout for red kettles and keep an ear out for the bell ringers too! As the name implies, the Salvation Army is a movement focused on sharing “good news and love with … neighbors” and is dedicated to “soul-winning and compassionate service.” The pairing of practical support and spiritual counsel may be why they are “Doing the Most Good.” “Christ’s boundless love presses on our hearts, leaving us joyfully compelled to serve Him,” (a summary of 2 Corinthians 5 v 14, Biblehub.com)

Quotes are taken from Salvation Army literature, both online and direct mail sources, 2024 and 2025.

NOTE: I continue to notice formatting issues with my posts in automated emails and even phone access. Blogposts are best viewed at “A Writer’s Daughter”

Saying “Grace”

“Grace” is the traditional term for prayer before a meal. Scripture tells us Jesus modeled the practice of thanking God for food (Matthew 14 v 19; Matthew 15 v 36; Luke 22 v 19). We also read that Jesus blessed food before He ate, hence we say or ask “The Blessing” at meals (Matthew 26 v 26; Luke 24 v 30)*.

The vast majority of Americans, even Christians, no longer regularly say “Grace” at mealtimes. Look around the work lunch table or a restaurant dining room and you will rarely see folks offering a blessing over the food. Thanksgiving however will be the exception, as many will pause to acknowledge their plenty in the form of a prayer to the Almighty.

I grew up in a home where every meal began with a prayer of thanks, usually led by my father. (See photo below) And although “Grace” was a routine and might have become rote, instead the ritual solidified foundational beliefs. By praying at meals, we were acknowledging God’s reality and presence, and His provision at our family table. Gratitude is a desirable, health-promoting trait and it rightly positions our hearts toward God “from whom all blessings flow.” ** Remember Jesus leading at the last supper: “and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘Take, eat…’” (1 Corinthians 11 v 24 NJKV).

I am grateful for you, my readers. I am looking forward to some entries I have in mind for December – stay tuned! As always, my posts are best viewed at “A Writer’s Daughter” especially to view the photos.

* I found “gave thanks” and “blessed” to be interchanged depending on Bible version.

** Thomas Ken, “Doxology,” 1674.

This photo is deeply personal but I will share it. It is the last photo I took of my parents together. Saying “Grace.”

Goal Setting Part 2 – Baby Hits a Homerun

It encourages me when a door opens that I did not foresee. Such is the case with my recent blog post on goal setting. The topic and outcome felt lackluster to me but it a spawned a Part 2 – a surprise to me!

I ended the “Goal Setting” piece with the first question of the Westminster Catechism. The question “What is the chief end of man?” summarized a goal priority to my mind. Which now leads me to, “Why catechisms?’ I will not cover the history and purpose of catechisms here except to say that the question/answer format is a teaching tool. For difficult foundational doctrines, new faith converts (or those seeking faith) easily learn important truths through the repeated question/answer process. For that reason, catechisms are often used with children.

In my family, one of our young grandsons was learning by way of a catechism. The toddler had been asked many times, “Who made you?” Not being in a cooperative mood one night at dinner, he refused to answer the question. His baby sister, sitting in the highchair next to him, seized the opportunity for success and attention, and peeped out, “God.” Whoa, a homerun for this tiny one!!! She knew.

Young children absorb and learn and know so much, much more than we realize. I had a similar experience that I shared in a blog once before. My own children were at a craft show and had the opportunity to shop for me. They came out with a pair of yellow and orange tie dye socks and my son exclaimed that the bright socks would match the candy corn earrings I liked to wear in the fall. How had he noticed? Why had he remembered? Kids are always watching and learning from their parents, grandparents, and others.

For our wedding ceremony, one of the Scriptures Craig and I chose was Deuteronomy 6 v 8 – 9: “⁶These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” We were agreeing with God’s Word that everywhere and all the time we would constantly need His Truths in place to establish a home built on Jesus Christ.