The Joy Of Redemption
For 30 straight Christmas seasons at the Omaha Community Playhouse, Dick Boyd never missed a performance as Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol. When he retired at the age of 83, Boyd no longer needed makeup to play the cynical, miserly old man who is transformed at Christmas. During the play, the dramatic change in Scrooge is seen in his face, in his voice, and in his generosity. The director who selected Boyd for the role in 1976 said, “Dick was the one who best captured the joy of redemption.”
Seeing At Christmas
During the Christmas season of 1879, an agnostic reporter in Boston saw three little girls standing in front of a store window full of toys. One of them was blind. He heard the other two describing the toys to their friend. He had never considered how difficult it was to explain to someone without sight what something looks like. That incident became the basis for a newspaper story.
The “Mom Box”
Each Christmas I give both of my daughters a “Mom box.” Each box contains items to encourage them to be the best mothers they can be. It might have craft books or special projects, devotional books or tapes geared toward young moms, first-aid kits, recipes for cooking with kids—and often something personal like bubble bath for a little pampering after a tough day of mothering! It’s become a tradition that Rosemary and Tanya have looked forward to every year for the last decade.
Name Above All Names
If you knew for certain that you were going to lose your voice and that you would never be able to speak again, what would you want your final words to be?
Learning To Lament
On February 14, 1884, Theodore Roosevelt’s wife, Alice, died giving birth to their daughter, also named Alice. Roosevelt was so distraught with the loss of his wife that he never spoke of her again. But reminders of her absence haunted the family. Because the newborn had the same name as her mother, she was called “Sister”—never Alice. On Valentine’s Day, the holiday for sweethearts, few in the Roosevelt household felt inclined to celebrate it or Sister’s birthday. Broken hearts made moods strained and stoic.
A Gift Of Shelter
Life was tough for Datha and her family. At age 39, she had a heart attack and bypass surgery and learned that she had coronary artery disease. A year later, her 15-year-old daughter Heather became paralyzed as the result of a car accident. Datha quit her job to take care of Heather, and the bills started piling up. Soon they would be facing eviction. Datha was so angry with God that she stopped praying.
Dirty Jobs
One TV personality seeks out the most dirty and grimy jobs he can find. Then he does those jobs on camera so we can all be grossed out.
Overcoming Evil With Good
Jesus was passing through Samaria on His way to Jerusalem. He sent messengers ahead to prepare a place, but the villagers rejected Him.
“Little Rajah, Little King”
In an editorial printed in Reaper magazine, David G. Stewart wrote, “In India we used to chuckle about baby pujah, or baby worship. All the women would gather around the baby in arms, and cluck like broody hens with their approval, and note the supposed likeness to mom or dad, and hold the fingers, touch the cheek, kiss the feet. A favorite term to describe the young baby boy was ‘Little Rajah, Little King.’ Though they do not actually bow down and worship a new baby, those Indians give so much attention to a new infant that it’s no wonder they call it ‘baby worship.’”
