Christmas – A Writer's Daughter

The Salvation Army Part 2: A Salvation Story

When I was growing up, my family was close friends with the McIntyre family. Bob and Mary were sweet Southerners, deeply committed to the Lord, through church and family. Bob was a successful educator, having founded a school early in the movement to develop special education for learning disabilities. Mary joined him in business and education endeavors. They raised two boys in the DC area where my family also lived.

Bob’s back story was surprising given his successes in adult life. He and a brother were born to an unwed mother. A sister carried a different last name. Bob lived with his maternal grandparents. During his young teen years, the ministry of the Salvation Army touched his life and Bob was saved! Salvation Army Officers took him in, and at age 16 he moved with them to another state where he graduated from high school at nineteen.

Bob’s faith in Jesus deepened. He took serious Bible training and pastored churches. Later he and his wife Mary attended Moody Bible Institute and then earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Wheaton College. Eventually they came to DC for educational administration opportunities and, as I mentioned, founded a prototype model for special education, The Oakwood School. He continued church and missionary work throughout his life.

I do not know the specific details of Bob’s salvation other than it was “through a meeting.” I doubt that Salvation Army bell ringers were present, but I am confident music must have been part of what drew him in – – he enjoyed music and was a good musician himself.

Bob’s faith testimony includes significant influences and spiritual impact on my life. The McIntyres gave me my first job in education: summer help at their daycare as a junior higher. (And thanks Mom for driving me back and forth for those weeks.) I followed them to Wheaton College, one of the most formative and meaningful experiences of my life. They gave me a place to stay temporarily when I got my first teaching job out of college, and I observed their beautiful Christian home and marriage. That’s legacy: God began His “good work” in His servant Bob through The Salvation Army. God’s work in him flourished until it was “carried to its completion” when Bob died of a stroke three years ago at the age of ninety-one. I pray that God’s salvation is at work in your life too. Philippians 1 v 6

Merry Christmas.

The Salvation Army Part 1: 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”

The Red Kettle Campaign

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”

The Lost Children of Britain

My cousin’s father-in-law, Alf, was one of Britain’s “lost children.” My quick on-line search revealed that Britain “exported vast numbers” of children to Canada and Australia during a 350-year period, ending in the 1970’s. The purpose of the forced migration was to relieve overcrowded orphanages in England and populate the colonies. In Alf’s case, it was 1930 and he was 14 years old. Alf’s mother died when he was three and eventually his father could not care for his large family so Alf and three brothers were put into an orphanage in England, where his father visited them. One of Alf’s older brothers was sent to Canada at age sixteen; a few years later, Alf was sent also. The brothers, separately, lived with families in the fertile farmland of Southern Ontario.

Alf did not take to his first farm placement but fended well for himself and found other families in the area to stay with. I do not know if he was able to attend much school or whether being a farmhand required all his time. Alf eventually met a girl among the farm families, and they married. Alf and his wife raised a large family near Hamilton, Ontario. My cousin married one of their middle sons. On occasion, my family saw Alf and his family, and I recall him as jovial and energetic.

Now you’re wondering how Alf’s story has a Christmas connection. Well, I was thinking about the similarities of Alf’s life of loss and displacement with Jesus’ own life of loss and loneliness. It is commonly known that Joseph and Mary were displaced and temporarily relocated in an overcrowded Bethlehem, due to a Roman census regulation, when Jesus was born. Sometime later, his parents fled to Egypt with young Jesus because of Roman infanticide orders – political refugees. During Jesus’ ministry, the Bible tells us he was homeless with “no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Jesus was misunderstood and rejected by many people of His day.

But what comes to mind most about Alf’s story is my memory of a cousin evening a summer or two ago. We’d had a great meal and evening of reminiscing and laughter together but as our time came to a close, the conversation became somber over more serious issues. Under the deep Ontario night sky, my cousin’s husband, Alf’s son, announced with a wide, confident smile, “But I have hope.” His faith, like his father’s, gave him a guaranteed hope that it all comes out well in the end. The birth we celebrate at Christmas is this: “Our Lord Jesus Christ though He was rich (divine, perfect, enthroned in heaven) yet for your sake He became poor (displaced, orphaned, and lowly) so that you through His poverty might become rich (rescued, adopted, blessed) 2 Corinthians 8 v 9. AMEN

Merry Christmas! Remember that posts are best viewed at “A Writer’s Daughter”
See my previous Christmas stories.

This nativity is displayed in the chapel at Duke University, where I recently enjoyed a performance of “The Messiah.”

Two Early Gifts

This post is an early Christmas present to you, two songs to lift your spirits for the season: one from a book, the other a YouTube video. I hope to post my annual Christmas ‘story’ for you soon.

I discovered this first ‘song’ while reading Book Two of the Eliot Chronicles. I loved the happy lilt and could imagine the children performing it in the old inn for Yuletide:

Sing hey for the moon and the starry sky,
The river, the wood and the sea,
For the fish and birds and animals all,
And the grass so green on the lea.
But most of all for the fair Christmas rose
And the lights on the candled tree.

Sing hey for the chimney and roof-tree wide,
Sing hey for the walls and the floor,
For the warmth of fire on the glowing hearth
And the welcoming open door.
And most of all for the peace and goodwill
And the joy at our deep heart’s core.

Sing hey for the men, the hosts of this house,
Sing hey for the first and the last,
Sing hey for the guests who have gathered here,
Both tonight and in pages past,
And sing hey for the love between host and guest
That will hold them for ever fast.

Sing hey for the God who fashioned for us
This bountiful splendor of earth,
Sing hey for courage and wisdom and love,
For beauty and healing and mirth.
But most for the Child Who on Christmas Day
Took upon Him our human birth.

~ from The Herb of Grace by Elizabeth Goudge. I was so taken by this book that I have asked for an Herb of Grace shrub, also called rue, for Christmas.

And here is a song I heard for the first time the other day, Phil Wickham’s “Manger Throne.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LN1cqABGM5Q

Presenting a Baby Jesus

One of my manger scenes, a mix of nativity sets. Spanish moss serves as straw. Some time I will tell you about the creche I saw in Europe.

I had ideas for a December 2023 Christmas blog, but I couldn’t carve out the time for writing that post last month. Today, Epiphany, also called Three Kings’ Day and Little Christmas, as the church calendar commemorates the Magi’s visit to Jesus, presenting their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Him, I present two Jesus stories. The first is one I wrote last year, when my blog was down due to a major hacking. I added secondly, another Jesus story I posted in December 2021. May you enjoy these gifts from me, that I hope remind you of the great story of Jesus our Savior.

“Presenting a Baby Jesus” – 2022

He was born a sickly baby. For whatever reason, his parents left him in the care of hospital social workers; his physical condition would require intense medical treatment for the foreseeable future. Yet he survived infancy and continued in the care of hospital staff. He grew, although he was not nurtured, and therefore did not make the baby milestones of sitting, walking, and talking. Eventually the toddler, still facing serious medical challenges, needed a home and guardians. Social services reached out to a couple who had experience with adoption and fostering, and who also had medical expertise. The couple prayerfully considered the situation: it was not a plan they had in mind, but is it ever? They agreed to become his temporary guardians.

In the following months, the little guy required highly specialized medical intervention. His foster parents procured doctors who could address his complex needs. At one point, it required weeks of living out of state with him for surgery, hospital convalescence and follow-up. His medical outcome was good, and he began to gain childhood developments, even though his long-term prognosis and life-expectancy were uncertain.

Eventually, social services approached the couple about permanent adoption. Again, after prayerful consideration, the couple decided not to adopt the little boy. Their own children were grown, and they felt the child needed a young family. At this point, one of the couple’s grown children, who had been adopted herself, asked to adopt the little boy. She had been around him often as her parents had fostered him and she felt called to be his mother. Miraculously, the social agency processed the bureaucratic red tape successfully, and the young woman became his mother. The child now has a home and he is part of a big family whom he has known since his earliest memory.

Nativity cutout ornaments from a friend; hung on a very bright day!

I got to meet this sweet little guy and his family last Christmas. He is full of love and life. As he and his mother left the gathering, he went around the table one by one, giving each of us a good-bye hug. And what is his name? Jesus. Can you believe he shares the name of our Savior, whose birth we celebrate at Christmas!? It is Christ’s birth, life and resurrection that allows us to be adopted into God’s family, becoming sons and daughters of His promises. I can’t word it any better than Galatians 4 v 4a and 5b: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son … that we might receive adoption as sons.”

Two beautiful “Jesus” stories. Amen.

“A Real Life Mary and Joseph Story”- 2021

Friends of ours, Darrell and Cindy*, own a rental property. It’s not hobby real estate; the income it generates represents an important component of their finances. Keeping the unit rented with reliable tenants is a priority. During one rental turnover, Darrell and Cindy were interviewing interested renters. There were several good prospects including some newlyweds who were acquaintances of the previous renters.

The young couple toured the unit and liked it but felt it was beyond their budget. They told Darrell and Cindy that they were expecting a baby and wanted to get a place on their own, but their income was limited. They also shared that their baby was diagnosed with a medical condition, likely resulting in additional expenses. Doctors were not optimistic.

Darrell and Cindy looked at other good applicants for the rental, but the growing little family stayed on their minds. They decided to pray about it and consider how a discounted rent would impact their income. Darrell admitted that turning the couple away seemed like telling Mary and Joseph there was no room in the inn! They came back to the couple and asked what rent amount would work for them. An agreement was reached, and they signed a lease. What a sweet miracle for the young couple in an exciting but uncertain time.

Darrell and Cindy prepped the unit and finalized the paperwork. Darrell spoke to the previous renters about returning their deposit. They were a bit surprised to find out about the money, since even as a budget-conscious couple, they had not realized the deposit was still due them. Aware of the situation of the new renters, they told Darrell to keep their security deposit and apply it as the new security deposit! Another unexpected little miracle! The new couple moved in, and their baby boy was born. He is healthy and growing with no immediate health issues, such a great miracle for his young parents.

This nativity is on display at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC.

Darrell and Cindy demonstrate how Christ followers live close to truths of the Bible. Being sensitive to known needs around us and meeting them in practical ways within our capacity is what Jesus told us to do (in many passages such as Luke 3:11). And as Darrell and Cindy would tell you, the blessing is all yours.

At Christmastime, we see the stable scene creches and sing of the lowly manger birth. On the night of Jesus’ birth, no rooms were available in Bethlehem, forcing Mary and Joseph to lodge outside. Later in His ministry Jesus charged, “you have no room for my word” (John 8:37). It is worth asking: have you left Jesus out in the cold, or do you make room for Him in your heart and daily life? The best miracle is that He is at the door, knocking and asking to come in (Revelation 3:20).

*names are changed to maintain anonymity

One Christmas, Cindy gave me this book, a found treasure, if you know what I mean. She didn’t know that I had long admired the creche collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Although I visited New York city many times at Christmas, I never made it to the Nativity tree exhibit.

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ADVENTS – Should it be plural?

Like so many early seasonal promotions, I began seeing Advent calendars advertised months before Christmas. Soap, puzzle, dog treat, and chocolate countdown calendars were among the ones I saw. They are quite unlike the Advent calendars of my childhood. In my young girlhood, my Nana sent us beautiful Nativity calendars featuring numbered windows. My sisters and I took turns opening each day’s window to find an illustrated creche figure. Window 24 always opened to the stable scene of baby Jesus in the manger.

Beautiful sanctuary decorations for Advent.

Today is the first Sunday of Advent, a season of the days or the Sundays leading up to Christmas. It is a countdown to Jesus’s birthday. Worship services may focus on the traditional themes of the four Sundays of Advent. Pastors often prepare sermon series based on Christmas topics. Many of us read Christmas devotionals throughout December and return to the narratives of Jesus’ birth in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. It is good to prepare for Christmas in these ways. The countdown is exciting!

Advent means coming; we suppose anticipation. We think of Jesus and His birth as arriving soon, but Jesus already arrived on earth some two thousand years ago on the first Christmas. Advent, then, is a misnomer, unless something else is coming, to anticipate. Yes, there is: Jesus is coming again! Jesus’ return is an Advent. You may not know this fact and may not understand. And Christians over time have not completely agreed on the exact details surrounding Jesus’ return, but all agree that He is returning, as declared in Scripture. Jesus spoke about His own return in Matthew 24 and Luke 21 and writings in both the Old and New Testament further explain Jesus’ Second Coming.

May your December anticipate the 25^th and another miraculous day yet to come!

(www.gotquestions.org is a reliable resource for topics such as Jesus’ return)

Miracles in a Modern Mary and Joseph Story

This Nativity is on display at the Bible Museum in Washington, DC.

*names are changed to maintain anonymity

A Christmas Alphabet

I enjoyed alphabet books as an ESOL teacher because of the patterned style and vocabulary emphasis. This alphabet poem aims to include the significant details and themes of the story of Christmas as found in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. With a grandchild in our family now, I was inspired to write a Biblical Christmas piece. I hope you or a young one in your family will enjoy its cadence and message.

A is for Advent

A blessed time of year

When Jesus’ birthday

Is coming near.

B is for baby,

So sweet and so small.

Jesus who saves us

Was born for us all.

C is for Christmas

And Christ is His name.

God’s Son from heaven

To our Earth He came.

D is for dream,

Or visions God sent:

News and direction,

His perfect intent.

E is for excited

And jumping for joy,

Like John leapt for Jesus,

The cousins, both boys.

F is for fear.

So many had fear.

Surprise angel visits said,

“Peace, God is near!”

G is for go,

Go tell the Good News

That Jesus is born.

Go, run in your shoes!

H is for heavenly,

Heavenly host.

Those angels praised Jesus,

The best and the most.

I is for incense,

With myrrh and with gold.

Wise men gave gifts

To Jesus we’re told.

J is for Joseph

The dad Jesus knew,

A man good and faithful.

He raised Jesus too.

K is for King,

From King David’s line,

Both father and mother,

A promise divine.

L is for light

Of so many kinds.

The angels, the East star,

The world’s Light who shines.

M is for Mary

The Lord Jesus’ mother.

God chose her to bear Him,

Her heart above others.

N is for Nativity

The plain stable scene,

The place and the people

Of such lowly means.

O is for only,

God’s only Son,

Jesus our Savior

For us, He’s the one!

P is for promise.

God’s prophecy said

A saving Messiah

Would come crush sin’s head.

Q is for quick.

Things happen so fast.

Be ready for Jesus

Before time is passed.

R is for room,

The Inn had no room

So a family was left

Out in Bethlehem’s gloom.

S is for sheep

Sleeping out in the night

Who woke with their shepherds

To angel singing and light.

T is for temple.

Jesus visited there

From baby to manhood

To teach and for prayer.

U is for upright,

In righteous ways

Zechariah, Simeon, Anna

Lived out their days.

V is for virgin,

A young girl named Mary,

The mother of Jesus,

A miracle she carried.

W is for worship,

Give Christ the praise

As babe in a manger

And now and always.

X is for exceptional,

Exceptional but true.

Jesus’ birth, boyhood, grown-up,

His Resurrection too!

Y is for why,

Why God sent His Son.

To save us from sin,

The cross – it is done!

Z is for Z

We’ve come to the end.

The Alpha Omega

Forever AMEN!

Decorations are simple this year as we live in transition until our new house is done: greens from our new yard, local Spanish moss, and a creche I managed to bring.

Written by My Father

This summer, while sorting through papers with my parents, we came across a short devotional written by my father. It was published in a devotional periodical but inquiries to both Our Daily Bread and Guideposts confirmed that it was not their publications. Since we have the original page with a date, we know the piece appeared somewhere, yet I couldn’t determine its source.

As you may know from my blog bio, my father had a career in journalism, launching with a wire news service, then joining the staff of the newly founded Christianity Today, and eventually becoming the editor of Christian Herald magazine. His writing featured current events and issues mostly within the Protestant church, including magazine editorials. His style usually wasn’t homiletic, so the short piece quoted below is unique. I don’t know if the prayer and Thought for the Day were my dad’s or added by an editor.

Wednesday, December 1, 1976

Read John 1:43-51

Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? John 1:46

My wife and I were charmed by a visit to the village of Oberndorf, Austria. It was there that Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber first introduced what has come to be the world’s best-loved Christmas carol, “Silent Night.” The church organ was broken, so a guitar was used for accompaniment at the Christmas Eve Mass.

That was in 1818 when communications were such that the song could not be readily shared with the world. Yet it not only found its way out of that obscure place, but became the most renowned of all Christmas songs.

Jesus Himself came out of what from every worldly standard would be considered obscurity. God actually ordained that His Son take on humanity in that way, and then suffer an ignominious death so that all who trust Him might have forgiveness of sin.

Doesn’t this tell those of us who have trusted Him as Savior something important about our work for the Lord? Everything we do, no matter how humble the context, has a great potential if we do it well – as God ordained.

PRAYER: O God, help us to keep in mind that the quality of performance is so much more important that what we deem to be ideal circumstances. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Thought for the Day

The most humble became the most famous.

David E. Kucharsky (Arlington, Virginia)

I hesitate to add much commentary to this piece; his words speak for themselves. As he says, he always valued doing quality work, and that included work that was service, things done for Christ’s sake. Even recently my dad spoke to me about continuing to be useful and cognizant of what ministry God would have for him in this stage of his life. This Scripture was not quoted but it fits his intent: ²³Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV).

An epilogue to the fame of “Silent Night” is an event from World War I. During the war, an unofficial truce occurred on Christmas Eve 1914. That night enemy soldiers joined in singing “Silent Night.” The movie “Joyeux Noel” (2005) retells the story. The humble carol, composed because of an obscure church crisis, holds a world stage.

Some vintage piano sheet music similar to what I played as a child.

Speak Your Truth, Really?

This fall I attended an all-day workshop for teachers. As is often the case, one of the first slides of the PowerPoint displayed the norms for the day. One expectation out of the fairly short list stated “Speak your truth.” That jolted me awake! As educators, I expected a better understanding of the English language!

Truth is something that is veritable in all situations. Truth is not dependent on circumstances or personality. Truth stays the same; is absolute. I am not a grammar expert but putting the possessive pronoun “your” before “truth” is an oxymoron, a faux pas or just plain poor writing. Pairing “your” with “truth” suggests that a colleague’s truth could be different than my truth. If that is the case, that there are multiple versions of truth, then the topic is no longer truth but experiences, feelings or opinions.

Sadly, the presenters didn’t miscommunicate their intentions. They, like many, believe that truth is relative and that kindness, respect and peace are best achieved by accepting all ideas equally. Nothing in the workshop was particularly controversial. Conflict was unlikely during the training but expecting tolerance is admirable and may be necessary in this day and age, especially in a region that is extremely diverse. Of course every participant’s contributions are valued! Unfortunately, the presenters missed the point by misusing the term ‘truth.’

As we come to the end of the Christmas season and look ahead to the New Year, we can reflect on Jesus’ words about his own coming to Earth. To his interrogator Pilate Jesus said, “In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” (John 18:37) Jesus was born as a baby, leaving behind His heavenly privilege, so we could experience truth. Jesus spoke the truth and He talked about true things and unchanging principles. He even called Himself truth when He said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” (John 14:6)

Christmas cards artfully portray Jesus and His various names. Christmas carols include His names too. He is called Prince of Peace, Light of the World, and Lamb of God, to list just a few. Each of these names and His many others represent something true about Jesus the Savior, the Son of God. May you be greatly encouraged that Jesus’ birth and purpose are true and real; may you not fall prey to believing that there is any other Truth.