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Hfe, - K , nwc |fe ■3 n 'I ■£■ * ♦ SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2007 6A Memories of the true meaning of Christmas By Donna Glenn HHJ Contributor It’s hard for me to recall one spe cial Christmas because I have had so many that were special. Growing up as a child, every Christmas morning I awoke finding lots of gifts from Santa for my brother and me. Christmas’s were always great when I was a kid but as I grew older and become to old for Santa to visit, Christmas began to lose some of its magic for me. Of course, the real reason for celebration for Christmas is Christ. Life itself is a gift from God and every day that one is able to wake up out of bed is another gift from God. I am blessed that He just keeps on giving me a gift everyday. As I grew older, got my first job and the true meaning of Christmas became more special I wanted to do some giving of my own. I thought it would bring back that ‘magic’ that was long ago lost as I grew up. So, I contacted our local Salvation Army and asked if there was a needy family that needed some help. At that time before privacy laws, the Salvation Army would give you the name and contact information of a needy family. Over the years, my fam ily and I adopted many needy families. There was the one year that we helped a recently widowed mother of 4 young boys. Their only income was a S2OO/month social security check that she received from her husband’s death. She didn’t work and couldn’t afford to because daycare costs for her four boys exceeded any income she would make. Our winter was cold that year and the boys had outgrown their coats. My mother and I went out and bought each boy and the mom a coat, socks and a pair of shoes for Christmas. Those boys and their mother were so thankful for something to keep them warm that Christmas. Then there was the year without a Christmas tree. A single mom with a young daughter and two young sons living in a run down trailer. She hadn’t enough money to even buy a tree for Christmas. Not having much money of my own since I worked as a Receptionist at a social service agency, I was able to scrape S3O together and buy a tree with decorations, a baby doll for the daughter and two used bikes for the sons. I spray painted the bikes to give them some color and pumped up their tires and those kids were so proud of their toys that Santa had left and that mom was so proud that her children had smiles on their faces. Another year I volunteered as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for abused children. Four of the chil dren that I worked with were living in a group home for foster kids. The group Serving Houston County Perry • Warner Robins Member'tDlC CBST Bank of Middle Georgia SmiwltUMt 9 Tfoitepuimmittf 9 rttUfudifta 478-988-2448 740 Main Street Perry GA 31069 / Vi<tit Tie Online www.sewingbees.com And Lucille’s children got their Christmas wish. The children and their mom spent Christmas togeth er that year and every Christmas together after that. || THE BANK OF PERRY Please worship at the church of your choice 1006 Main St. • Perry 987-2552 Member FDIC 156862 1812 II.S. 41N. Perry, GA 987-1112 Q^&ceucs FlooringAh/BtfCA 156855 home itself was depressing enough filled with children who had come from abused families. Their mom, not having a home of her own anymore had moved to somewhere in Wisconsin to stay with a friend until the time came that she would be reunited with her children. So for Christmas knowing they were at the age where kids like the latest gadget on the market, I asked the kids, “What would you like for Christmas? I’ll get you whatever you want.” Each sure how to get in touch with your mom. We don’t know where in Wisconsin she is and we don’t have a telephone num ber for her.” The look on their faces was really more than I couldbear to witness. So I immediately said, “But don’t you worry! Because I’m going to find her and I’m going to get'you your Christmas wish!” Upon leaving them, I knew this would be a very tall order to fill but I had to fill it! I thought “Donna, you used to work as a Private Investigator! Put those skills back to work in tracking down their mom!” I had only three weeks until Christmas so I had to work fast. Through telephone calls and tracking down leads, I finally was able to track their mom down at a campground in the middle of Wisconsin. The Lord was with me the whole way because there was no way I could have done this on my own in that short amount of time if he hadn’t been with me. When I got in touch with their mom on the phone, I said, “Lucille, I told your kids they could have anything they want for Christmas and they want you and I’m not going to disappoint them! I’m wiring you a one-way bus ticket back here.” I knew Lucille didn’t have any money, a job or even a home to return to once she got here but that didn’t matter for now. I would figure all that out once she got here and together, the Lord and I figured it out. And Lucille’s children got their Christmas wish. The children and their mom spent Christmas together that year and every Christmas together after that. So there have been a lot of very spe cial Christmas’s for me. I’ve learned that as long as you keep God and his teachings as the primary focus in your life then the magic of Christmas is always there, everyday. Perry Drug Company Friendly. Professional Service Ben Bartlett & Hubert Bennett, REGISTERED PHARMACISTS tost tomm tons Accyto 1036 MACON RD. « PERRY, GA 56861 Perry Brake & Muffler 2SJHK 1202 Main St. Perry, GA 31069 Complete Car Maintenance NAPA Auto Care [56857 of them paused for a moment as if they were thinking really hard about my question and then almost in unison they said together, “I want to see my mama for Christmas”. Suddenly my excitement at wait ing for their answer had turned into disappointment. I thought about their answer for a moment and then said, “Well kids, that’s going to be really hard to do because we’re not 988-1144 478-987-3813 A Jar filled with Christmas spirit Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hatch received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.- I Peter 4:9, 10 I once heard a story of a man who so enjoyed the spirit of Christmas that he decided to keep it always. So he put it in a large jar and set it on the mantelpiece, where it gave a lovely glow all through the Christmas season. Soon afterwards, however, it became somewhat bother some with all the procedures of packing away lights and ornaments and the manger scene, and getting the tree out of the house without its shedding too many needles. Somewhere along the line, the jar containing the Christmas spirit vanished and no one seemed to know Is there really a Santa Claus? The first Christmas I can remember was in 1939 when I was 4-years old. My parents lived in the same house with my grandpar ents. There were only two, bedrooms in the house so my mother and father and I slept in the same bedroom. We were poor people but rich in love for one another. A little Christmas tree sat in the corner of our bedroom. It cast an air of cheerfulness and enchantment about the room. On Christmas Eve, I left on the mantle a bottle of Coke and some cookies for Santa Claus. I tried as hard as I could to stay awake to catch Santa Claus when He came down the chim ney, but my weary eyes soon succumbed to sleep. When I awoke the next morning, hot coals were blazing in the fireplace and rapidly warm ing the room. Still in bed, I looked over at the brightly lit Christmas tree. There stood a beautiful red tri cycle and a miniature foot ball. Daddy handed me the football while I was still in bed. I dearly loved it, grip ping it in my little hands as I slid out of bed. Over to the tricycle I went and immedi ately sat on it and rode a few feet through the bedroom. As I did I quickly glanced at the mantle. The Coke bottle was empty and the cookies were gone. Santa had come and gone. He had been in my very room. He even left a smudge of chimney soot on my check. Santa was on his way back to the North Pole and wouldn’t return until next Christmas. What an exciting moment that was! It will be etched into my memory forever. LONGHORN BUTCHER SHOP YOUR HOMETOWN BUTCHER SINCE 1976 1207 Sunset Ave. * Perry Plaza Perry, GA 31069 Lee Lasseter Greer Lasseter YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED TO JOIN US LOR CHRISTMAS SERVICES Sunday, Dec. 23rd at 10 AM Children’s Christmas Pageant Monday, Dec. 24th, at 6 PM, , Christmas Eve, Family Service < Caroling & Festival Eucharist 11 PM Tuesday, Dec. 25th at 10 AM , Christmas Day, Holy Eucharist P6BM Saint Christopher’s At-The-Crossroads Episcopal Church 1207 Macon Rd. • Perry, GA FOR MORE INFO CALL 987-2190, VISIT US AT WWW.STCHRISTOPHERSEPISCOPAL.ORG /4 Ceuyoue Sea&on Occt h 6856 Earline Cole Reflections alarmed to find the glow was gone . . . completely gone! All that remained was a small, hard, black clin ker that rattled thinly as he shook the jar. Bringing the jar down stairs and thoughtfully pondering the situation, the man decided he must do something to renew the Christmas spirit. Before going to bed that night, he got a little brown paper bag Is there a Santa Claus? Billy Powell Columnist published response are: “Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist... You might get your daddy to hire men to watch in all the chim neys on Christmas Eve to „ * A ... What you’ve got goingij on. Send uslyour church j bulletin anljwe’ll help.jgj ' Tjlk VfJ E y¥p • ts, "■* -SLi, Mail to: Home DAVID OVERTON JEWELERS 56858 905 Carroll St. Perry, GA 31069 478-987-1392 478-987-5711 HOUSTON HOME JOURNAL and filled it with a variety of miscellaneous items he had not used for months. During the days that fol lowed, the miscellaneous items were distributed as the man went about his daily duties. A pinch of Good Cheer here; a wish of Good Will there; some Charity, some Thoughtfulness - some Love. And, lo! One night he came home to find his jar of Christmas spirit glowing as brightly as ever, shed ding its radiance throughout the house and into the dark night beyond. From there on, he has maintained the Christmas spirit and kept it aglow. (Source Unknown) Merry Christmas, dear friends. May you and those you hold near and dear to your hearts be filled with Good Cheer, Good Will, Charity, Thoughtfulness and Love. anything about its where abouts. Months later, when rummag ing about the attic, the man once again discovered the jar. He was catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus... The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men see... Thank God he lives and he lives forever. A thousand years from now Virginia, nay, ten thousand years from now, he will con tinue to make glad the heart of childhood.” Santa Claus represents the good will, the merri ment, and the gift giving of Christmas, but Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. In “the fullness of time,” God sent His Son into the world to die for our sins In 1897, eight year old Virginia O’Hanlon asked the editor of the New York Sun that same question. Excerpts from his § o a nne ' 5 <7 PERRY florist 734 Main Street Perry, Georgia 31069 987-1656 800-516-1004 | 56849 jiyfew * jfj t % I I WISMm 56859 57819