Advent Day 21 - When Christmas Takes A Snow Day

When Christmas Takes a Snow Day - by Carrie Schmidt

Happy Saturday before Christmas, dear Seekerville! 

I hope you're enjoying our Coming Home For Christmas advent posts this month. I've loved the memories, the recipes, the photos, the traditions, and just seeing a bit more into the hearts of such cherished friends.

Grab a mug of hot chocolate or a Caramel Apple Spice from Starbucks (the only thing I get there since I don't like coffee or tea... i know, i know) and settle in for a harrowing tale of Christmas past. 

My brother & I, probably Christmas 1984
(no idea what i'm doing lol)

When I was growing up, we lived in Northern Illinois (almost in Wisconsin) and my paternal grandparents lived in East Tennessee (in a secret city... but that's for another post). Christmas 1983 had us packing up the car one evening after my dad got home from work & hitting the interstate for a much-anticipated holiday at Mamaw & Papaw's house! What we didn't anticipate was being caught in a history-making weather event instead. The amateur weather buffs & people with great memories may remember exactly what I'm talking about in Christmas 1983, but for the rest of us....

We intended to drive to a hotel in Indiana for the night and tackle the rest of the 14 hour trip the next day. However, when my dad opened the hotel room door the next morning, instead of gazing out on the parking lot where we'd innocently left our car the night before, he was met with a wall of snow. Car? What car? No idea where it is. No idea where the parking lot is. Everything was buried in snow upon snow upon snow. Interstates were closed north and south. No snow plows were coming through. There would be no rescue.

What was only meant to be an overnight hotel stay became several days long. Wind chill was 100 below zero. Yes, you read that right. In fact, that Christmas has the auspicious title of coldest Christmas in North America - a title it still holds to this day. Of course we ran out of food fairly quickly. My dad would battle the treacherous elements to walk across the road and grab burgers from the truck stop, wrap them in motel room towels and my book bag (because of course I had one, even at age six lol), zip them up in his coat, and cross the road again ... only for them to already be stone cold. 

My 18-month-old brother was on meds for an ear infection and spiked a fever of 103 at some point during our stay. I read all my books. So what else is there to do? Well you act out the Christmas story from Luke 2, of course. Over and over and over again. I was in my element (always a bit of the dramatic in me, i'm sure this is shocking to all of you LOL) but needless to say my baby brother did NOT want to be swaddled over and over and over again. And my mom was trying to keep his fever down so swaddling him wasn't really the best choice. But he was the only baby Jesus we had, so I swaddled. My poor parents. 

As I think back now on this particular Christmas, with the eyes and the cognition of an adult, I realize how scary it must have been for my mom and dad. In their early 30s with two small children, no certain supply of food, no way for an ambulance to reach us if my brother had gotten sicker, separated from deathly frigid temperatures only by a thin-walled motel room and its please-keep-working heater unit. No way to really celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense that children consider Christmas - all our presents were in Tennessee. Running out of money (a several day hotel stay was not in the budget). I know they trusted God, that is one of the greatest legacies they've given me. But in their humanity, how could they not have been even just a little bit afraid?

One of my favorite Nativity sets

Yet, in the next thought, my heart unpacks a whispered reminder of that "first Christmas" that I reenacted so many times that stranded week. Mary and Joseph were even younger than my parents, most likely. Stranded away from home. IN LABOR IN A STABLE. So many unknowns. Strange visitors. A baby who may not have wanted to be swaddled any more than my brother did. I don't know what they had planned for when they got to Bethlehem, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't any of that. It's clear Mary & Joseph trusted God too, but how could they also not have been even just a little bit afraid?

Into all of the uncertainty that accompanied that pivotal night in history, into all of the uncertainty that accompanied that long ago Christmas for my own family, into all of the uncertainty that may accompany you this Christmas, the angel's message to the shepherds still resonates... 

“Don’t be afraid!” he said.
“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.
The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!
And you will recognize him by this sign:
You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

God. Come to earth. Meeting us where we are. It's easy to gloss over it in the familiarity of the story. And sometimes it takes an unexpected change of plans to remind us of its profound impact. Emmanuel. God with us. God with you. 

One of my favorite Christmas songs from recent years is "Christmas Changes Everything" by Josh Wilson. These lyrics (below) in particular hit my soul every time. 

 Hallelujah, love has found us

Hope in a manger our Savior is setting us free
This is rescue, Christ has come to make us new
Oh, Christmas changes everything

The snow changed all of our plans that Christmas of 1983. We ran out of money & days off work for my dad and had to go back home as soon as the roads were clear (and we could find our car). But all of that was so minor. Many people lost their lives from the extreme cold and snow that Christmas, but we had shelter, safety, warmth and each other.

What really mattered had already been eternally altered when the birth of a Baby defeated death forever.

Do you need rescue this Christmas? In your heart, in your family, in your health or your bank account? You may feel stranded even in a room full of people who love you. May I leave you with the tender reminder today of that Hope in a manger, of our Savior who is setting us free?

This is rescue. Christ has come to make us new.

And, my Seekerville friends, that changes everything! 

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Today, I'm giving away one of my favorite Christmas re-reads. AND it includes an adorable scene with kids reenacting the Christmas story that will leave you laughing and teary-eyed. For a chance to win An Endless Christmas by Cynthia Ruchti tell me about any memorable Christmas trips you've taken. (Or anything else you'd like to share - I just like chatting!)

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Carrie Schmidt is an avid reader, book reviewer, story addict, KissingBooks fan, book boyfriend collector, and cool aunt. She also loves Jesus and THE Story a whole lot. Co-founder of the Christian Fiction Readers' Retreat and JustRead Publicity Tours, Carrie lives in Kentucky with her husband Eric. 

She can be found lurking at various blogs and websites (because she can't stop talking about books) but her main home is the blog she started in 2015 - ReadingIsMySuperPower.org.

And don't forget to enter the advent Seekerville giveaway for a Kindle fire! 

 

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Advent Day 17 - A Christmas Eve to Remember with Guest Laurel Blount

by Laurel Blount

Oh, what fun to be visiting Seekerville at Christmastime! Happy sigh. The very best part of the Christmas season is the time I get to spend with my favorite people!

I just love this time of year. I have to say, though, the day I love best is actually Christmas Eve. There’s something special about the last day before Christmas. All the work and preparations are done, the family has gathered close, and yet there’s still the hushed sense of sweet anticipation hanging in the air. For many years now, we’ve finished this beautiful day by attending a candlight service.

The Blount Family Christmas tree 2019

When I was growing up, my family attended a very small, very sweet church in rural Georgia. Our minister traveled from a long distance to preach each Sunday, and it just wasn’t feasible for him to do a Christmas Eve service. I had never attended one.

A few years after I married, though, I experienced my very first Christmas Eve service. The gray stone church my husband and I went to that night reminded me of an Old-World cathedral. It was draped with green garlands for Christmas, and it was breathtakingly lovely. I thought the solemn candlight service held inside its echoing walls was the most beautiful and meaningful thing I had ever experienced, and attending the annual event became a Christmas Eve tradition.

I invited my parents the following year, and they loved it, too. As our children were born, they attended along with us. Every year, the service was moving and special—but I’ll always remember one year that had a little extra dash of magic.

We were savoring the final moments of the service. The sanctuary went completely dark, symbolizing the bleakness of the world before Christ’s arrival. The minister lit his candle from the Christ candle on the advent wreath and, with only his face illuminated by the flickering light, began reciting the famous passages from Luke. We were sitting in the pews, our own stubby white candles waiting to be lit, gearing up to sing Silent Night, as we’d done every year. I was anticipating the magical moment when each of us would be holding a little pinprick of light—but I admit, I was also privately wondering how I’d keep my eager children from setting each other or the sanctuary itself on fire.

Then my little son whispered, “Look, Mama!”

I glanced up—slowly, the giant, incredibly lovely stained-glass window at the front of the church began to glow with light. It started dim, then increased in brightness with every word the pastor read. By the time he’d finished the passage, the round, jewel-toned window was shining brilliantly against the darkness of the sanctuary. The whole congregation stared, slack-jawed until the minister, unaware of what had happened behind him, finally caught on and turned around. I’ll never forget the look on his face!

It turned out that the spotlight out on the front lawn had simply powered on as it did every night at a particular time, illuminating the front of the building. It wasn’t intentional, but the timing that night was absolutely impeccable. It was as if God had reached down and switched on the light Himself, just at the perfect moment.

We can no longer attend that stately old church, but I’ll always treasure the many beautiful Christmas memories we made there. So, for today’s “Georgia Christmas Memory” giveaway I’m offering a Georgia necklace, a “Merry Christmas” candle, an ornament featuring a sweet church, and a copy of my brand-new Love Inspired romance A Rancher to Trust—perfect to read beside a twinkling Christmas tree!

May all your Christmases be blessed, sweet friends—and sprinkled with moments of unexpected, amazing beauty!

Inspirational romance author Laurel Blount has been awarded the Georgia Romance Writers’ Maggie award and has been a finalist for the Carol award, the Holt Medallion and the New England Reader’s Choice Award. Stay in touch by subscribing to her monthly newsletter, full of news, down-home recipes and fun giveaways!

Advent Day 13: It's a Wonderful Life

What are your plans this Christmas season?

Every Christmas, we would typically travel to visit and spend time with family. Due to unexpected reasons, this year, we have to stay put at home. Yet, it has turned into more of a blessing because it gives us time to rest.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:28-30 

It's been quite a year for us, both personally and professionally. So this time of rest is welcome, despite not being able to spend the holidays with family. However, our traditions will still continue, which includes watching It's a Wonderful Life together every Christmas season. Spending time together with our two miniature schnauzers and watching a Christmas classic sounds just about perfect.

  

Another seasonal tradition for me includes rereading classics and beloved stories. I've mentioned it in a past Seekerville post. My vision has been troublesome of late, so I'm not sure how much rereading I'll be able to do, but I'm adding audio book versions of a few favorites to my "to be listen" pile for this season.

With that said, I would love to give away a box of some great books that are worth a reread to one US winner. Just leave a comment below letting us know you'd like to enter. 

Be sure to enter our year-end giveaway to win an Amazon Kindle Fire via the Rafflecopter below!

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Annie is proud to be one of the founding stewards of the Christian Fiction Readers Retreat (CFRR), the first readers' retreat of its kind, and the cofounder of JustRead Publicity Tours. She loves all things book and bookish, and most of all, Jesus.  Next to reading, her other interests include spending time with family and friends, eating, playing with her miniature schnauzer pups, Gabby and Reagan, and somehow challenge her non-existent athletic abilities to improve (tremendously) her tennis and golf game. You can find her at @justcommonly on Instagram.

Advent Day 6 - Christmas with Children

This Seekerville Advent journey had me reflecting on my favorite Christmas memories. I have sporadic memories from my childhood like the year my father/Santa almost didn't find Snugglebun (the baby doll who came in a cradle with a small lamp) that was the ONLY thing my sister wanted, because a man snatched the last one from in front of him. I don't remember how he actually got one, just the story of the one he lost.

Then there was the year I was 5 or 6. I remember walking solemnly around my backyard wondering how it could be Christmas when there was no snow. Note, I've survived many many snowless Christmases since, so I'm wondering if snow at Christmas was a thing to 5 year-old me because of Rudolph.

That reminds me of another memory. Back in the day, The Sound of Music always aired on Thanksgiving Night (except for the times it was The Wizard of Oz instead). Charlie Brown, Frosty, Rudolph - they all were only on once and it was a special occasion that we were allowed to stay up for. There was no streaming! If you missed it, you were deprived for a whole year!

My most wonderful Christmas memories though, come from when my girls were young.

I miss my sweet babies

My husband LOVED prepping for Christmas with the girls. It usually involved a trip to Macys and the mall so we could select that year's special ornaments.

We would wander through Toys R Us and the girls would eagerly point out presents they'd love. They are still amazed that we managed to get the presents into the cart (under their winter coats) and check out without them noticing. My oldest daughter and I had a long Thanksgiving road trip last week, and we were reminiscing. She commented that she remembers Daddy always came out to the car awhile after us, but since it happened every year, she didn't think anything of it.

Such JOY! Cinderella loved the gown Santa's elves made for her.

Not so the letters from Santa. I remember the year she told me that Santa's handwriting looked an awful lot like mine. I thought I was so brilliant typing it and leaving it in the printer the next year, but apparently that was a dead giveaway to my smart 4th grader.

My girls are grown women now, and have their own homes, but we still make sure to spend the holidays together. This will be our second year without my husband. It's hard. It's different. But we're making new traditions. Last year we each got white candles for our windows to light in his honor - one for each of us, and one for him. And when we take those precious decorations from their boxes, we have beautiful memories.

In my Love Inspired Suspense, Christmas in Hiding, Callie Martin loves Christmas. She's a kindergarten teacher who longs to be in her classroom amid the glitter and tinsel, but instead she's in witness protection and on the run for her life. I had so much fun writing Callie and her love of Christmas, but I especially loved writing the scenes where her U.S. Marshal, Jackson Walker, goes out of his way to bring Christmas to her.

What memories do you have? Do you have a special family tradition or memory you would like to share?

In honor of my husband's love of choosing ornaments, I'm giving away this Christmas memories ornament that you can choose to have engraved however you like, along with a digital copy of Christmas in Hiding. I apologize to those who prefer print, but Amazon has no more and neither do I, so we have to go with eBook.

Cate Nolan lives in New York City, but she escapes to the ocean any chance she gets. A devoted mom and teacher, Cate loves to leave her real life behind and play with the characters in her imagination. She’s got that suspense writer gene that sees danger and a story in everyday occurrences. Cate particularly loves to write stories of faith enabling ordinary people to overcome extraordinary danger. 







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