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The Sylvania Times
Wednesday, December 21, 2022 - Page 3
Library has options for a
chilly Christmas
Generators ■ Air Compressors - Saws
Welders ■ Man Lifts ■ Trenchers ■ 0 Morel
-Fr. Larry Jesion, St.
Michael’s Episcopal
Church
The Season of Advent:
Week 4 - Joy
“You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have
taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with Joy.”
—Psalm 30:11
Where do you find your joy? I don’t mean where do you
find your happiness, but what truly brings you joy?
I can’t think of this time of year without recalling my
friend and hospice patient Mr. P. I first met Mr. P when
volunteering with a hospice in Florida. Initially, I was
asked if I would drive by his home just to check on him
each morning since he lived alone. He had lost his wife
recently and did not have a fulltime caregiver.
After that, for several months I visited with him regularly
and we would talk at his kitchen table. More accurate
ly, Mr. P talked; I wrote my part on a notepad for him to
read since he was completely deaf. We had many, many
conversations this way and that is where Mr. P shared this
story of joy with me.
Mr. P was raised on a farm in Indiana with his four
brothers. At the beginning of the great depression, Mr. P
married. And shortly afterward his father passed away.
The family land was split into five smaller farms, one for
each of the brothers to earn their livings.
The first year was very rough on Mr. P and his young
wife. They were losing money on the farm, but they
continued working and trying to make the best of their
situation. One day just before Christmas, Mrs. P returned
from town with a Christmas tree. Mr. P was very upset
knowing that they could not afford it; but he loved her,
and, knowing he could not return the tree, he reluctantly
agreed to keep it. They were so poor that year that there
were no ornaments or lights for their tree.
Mr. P shared that the following year things were a bit
better; they were able to purchase a few ornaments. He
fondly recalled stringing popcorn and making paper loop
garland from old magazines they found.
The next year they saved up to purchase Christmas lights
to put on their tree. Each year they were able to add to the
decorations to make their Christmas a little more festive.
I could see on his face and hear in his voice the great joy
that those memories brought to him.
With tears in his eyes, he pointed over my shoulder and
said that he had no regrets; that even though he could not
afford it all those years ago, that was the best 25 cents he
had ever spent!
Looking over my shoulder to see what he was pointing
at, I saw a tiny little two foot tall, decorated and lighted,
artificial Christmas tree.
You see, it occurs to me that in order to truly experience
joy, there is a need to first experience love.
The kind of love that is unconditional, forgiving and
sacrificing. The kind of love that reconciles relationships.
The kind of love that restores and revives the soul.
This is the kind of love that Jesus shows to each and
every one of us.
In the words of Jesus in the Gospel of John; “For God so
loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone
who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
life.”
As the Advent season is wrapping up. I pray that you
find Hope, Peace, Love and Joy this Christmas. Wishing
you and your family a very Happy Christmas!
Sharon Blank
Special Contributor
Time to grab those last-minute Christmas gifts!
We’ve got some great ones for the readers in your life,
both young and adult: our $1 a bag book sale is now
only $0.50/bag! You’ll find everything from children’s
books to self-help to romance, plus we even have some
DVDs. Best of all, a lot of them are donations that look
almost completely brand new.
The library will be closed from Thursday, December
21 through Tuesday, December 27 to allow our staff to
spend the holiday season with family and friends. We
will reopen on Wednesday, December 28 at our usual
time.
We will also be closed on Monday, January 1 to cele
brate New Year’s.
If you’re worried about the time we’ll spend closed,
though, don’t fret too much! Our wifi is available 24/7 and 365 days per year, and there’s loads of great ebooks, down
loadable audiobooks, and even magazines that you can read in our Libby app! Best of all, it’s free.
Are you more interested in making sure that the kids have something fun to do while the weather is chilly and the schools
are closed? There’s so many options for things to do to keep them busy! eRead Kids is a bit like Libby in that ebooks and
audiobooks are available on your phone, tablet or laptop for free, but there’s even more to do without staring at a screen!
There’s a ton of books on all sorts of topics, from fun kids novels like Captain Underpants to nonfiction books on subjects
ranging from history to science to how to train that new puppy the family just got. We have lots of great movies available
as well, from classics like MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET to humorous ones like THE 12 DOGS OF CHRISTMAS and
ones featuring favorite children’s characters like A SESAME STREET CHRISTMAS CAROL.
Want to know more about what’s happening at the library this holiday season and all year round? Head over to www.
facebook.com/screvencountylibrary.
Well, that’s all for now - see you at the library!
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