A Second Wind & Christmas Clementines

~Second Wind~

With Christmas days away and money scant for gifts, I determined to live up to my nickname, the Queen of Make-Do.

I headed to a favorite place—my mother-in-law’s home, to rummage through her trunk-full of scraps hoping to find fabric to make my young daughters dress-up clothes. As in times past, the old trunk didn’t let me down.

To keep the children’s gifts a surprise, I worked into the wee morning hours. Soft peach cloth from a bridesmaid’s dress turned into Cinderella’s ball gown. An old red velvet skirt became a cloak to go with the royal robe fashioned out of gold drapery fabric I’d found at the Salvation Army thrift shop. From remnants of a long-ago wedding dress, a new child-sized one emerged.

I hated sewing, but I pushed myself to finish the task. The wall clock tick-tocked a dull march and my blurry, burning eyes noted the time—3 a.m. I desperately needed a second wind.

Then, a vivid childhood memory of a beautiful pink-and-white-checkered gingham dress my grandmother made for me when I was about six years old. Power outages were common in Jamaica, where I grew up, but Grandma sewed anyway. She gave the wheel on her black Singer sewing machine with the fancy gold lettering a vigorous spin and pumped the ornate iron foot pedal. Up-and-down, up-and-down, she worked for hours on end.

Later I found her on the verandah with eyes squinted and head bent, hand-sewing row upon row of lace to the bodice.

Several times, I came in from the garden, watched her for a minute, and flitted away to play some more. There she sat, still sewing that dress for me. She made me feel special.

The recollection of Grandma’s labor of love from more than 20 years ago buoyed my flagging spirits. I smiled and stitched another yellow rose to the miniature wedding dress. I had my second wind. Thanks, Grandma.

On Christmas morning and for years to come, our children delighted in their dress-up finery, and as our family grew and I added to their collection.

“Mom, can you teach me to sew?” my two youngest children asked me recently.

Time to pass the baton.—And time to bring those dress-ups down from the attic for my granddaughters to play with when they visit this Christmas.

Sometimes the hard work love drives us to do transcends our investment to inspire and bless generations.

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Love drove God to step down from Heaven and don human flesh: Jesus—God incarnate. Immanuel—God with us.

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He subjected Himself to the human experience, walked among us, gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sin, to give us new life and eternal life. Born to die so we can live, so we can know Him.

(*Banner Photo: Daughters Ariel and Anna in their dress-up clothes.)

~Christmas Clementines~

“Why are there no clementines in our stockings?” my grown children exclaimed a couple Christmases ago.

“They’re in the bowl in the kitchen. I forgot to put them in last night.”

I marveled they’d noticed as gifts bulged out of their stockings and spilled out onto the couch. Raising a family on Cape Cod was costly, so money was tight when they were little. But I always made sure there was $100 worth of Adventures in Odyssey episodes and a Radio Theater Classics CD from Focus on the Family, and stacks of books under the Christmas tree. Gramma Colby bought the Lego train and added to their collection annually. Clementines, a treat usually out of our budget’s reach, went on sale at Christmas and provided a way to fill their stockings.

Sometimes the simple things become treasured traditions. Sometimes the extraordinary comes wrapped in the ordinary.

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Like  reading the Christmas story about the King of kings: born in a stable, laid in a manger. Jesus–Gift of gifts given to us. And clementines in stockings on Christmas morning and hours spent listening to stories while ginger, cinnamon, and cloves waft from the speckled kettle atop the cast iron woodstove and the toy train click-clacks along its track. 

Christmas Carol Playlist featuring over 30 songs includes a artists a wide range of artists spanning decades such as Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole to Andrea Bocelli, Southern raised, Thokoza, Rend Collective, and Mac Powell. (Over over an hour and a half of music focused on the meaning and reason for CHRISTmas.) ENJOY!

And I’d love to hear from you in the comments.

MOVIE TRAILER: I Heard the Bells | The true story behind #poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s Poem I Heard The Bells which became the beloved Christmas Carol. (Available to stream or for purchase.)

*Scroll for newly released books and a couple recipes for fragrant Christmas ornaments.

Orange Pomander  Ball Ornament Recipe 

Cinnamon and Spice Ornament Recipe

Christmas with the Chosen: The Messengers produced by Dallas Jenkins available on the Angel Studios App, to stream, or purchase DVD.

NYT bestselling author Jerry B. Jenkins has three new novels based on Seasons 1-3 of his son Dallas’s critically acclaimed Tv series, The Chosen. Also available for 8-12 year-olds are his kids’ series Red Rock Mysteries authored with Chris Fabry .

Great books make great gifts! (Some new releases included below.)

NEW RELEASE! Experience Immanuel Daily: Personal Encounters with God Devotional, by Cherrilynn Bisbano
Each devotion features an inspiring true story of a Bible character and one from a post Bible times Christian pulled from long ago to present day. A  great gift for those who desire to experience God in a deeper, personal, and powerful way, as well as for history buffs, pastors, speakers, and educators. 

NEW RELEASE: Heartwarming devotions with recipes and tips.

The Christmas Devotional: Hope & Humor For The Holidays is  a strikingly beautiful book with a thoughtful layout and curation of festive crafts, tips for organizing and reducing holiday stress, recipes, and fun facts about yuletide. A most wonderful collection of holiday themed stories sure to warm your heart, stir your soul, and make you laugh.

NEW RELEASE: Love Knots, Volume Three: Stories of Faith, Family, and Friendships (Devotional)

"An array of authors provide a buffet of soul food in this inspired compilation to nourish your mind, refresh your spirit, and warm your heart."

Books by bestselling award-winning ghostwriter and author Cecil Murphey AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE / CECIL MURPHEY’S WEBSITE

Spanning the globe from Guatemala to the Congo and even outer space, 28 contributors including a soldier, scientists, doctors, ministers, teachers, and writers share two #definingmoments. 

Proceeds from Defining Moments: Memorable and Inspiring Stories from Outstanding Leaders (to which I’m a contributor) are donated to Samaritan's Purse ministry (part of the Billy Graham Evangelical Association) and go toward providing aid in crisis situations around the globe. 

A FEW CHARITIES WORTHY OF SUPPORTING 
(After your tithe and offerings to your local church)

Samaritans Purse
 (affiliate of Billy Graham Evangelical Association ministry) 

Join Judy In Uganda 

Compassion International

World Vision

MY REVIEW: Colorful Connections: 12 Questions About Race That Open Healthy Conversations, Lori Roeleveld and Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

Powerful, revelatory, instructive, inspiring.

I wish every high school, post-secondary school, and religious institution would carry this book in their libraries.

With bared hearts the authors demonstrate through their dialogue how to conduct honest, healthy, productive conversation to help bring understanding, healing, and build relationships across ethnicities. Prepare to do some soul searching and shed some tears as you read these personal accounts.

Regardless of your religious or political persuasion, your ethnicity, experience or lack thereof in the realm of race relations, this book empowers readers to bring reconciliation to their communities. The principles and exercises in Colorful Connections: 12 Questions About Race That Open Healthy Conversations not only have the potential to help bridge the racial divide, but can prove beneficial to any relationship. #ColorfulConnections

MY REVIEW: Room at the Table: Encouraging Stories from Special needs Families by Stephanie Pavlantos and Starr Ayers is an extortionary, encouraging and enlightening gift for special needs families and those who wish to better understand, love, and serve them better.

 "Author Stephanie Pavlantos, the mother of Matthew with cerebral palsy and Starr Ayers, the mother of Ashley with Down syndrome, co-authored the collection of real-life experiences from families, guardians, caregivers, and individuals with special needs. These stories of hardship, courage, and blessings will encourage, enlighten, and equip readers for ministry in their communities. Room at the Table also contains a light-hearted look at life through the eyes of these extraordinary individuals..."

The #TaleoftheClans Series by M.N.Stroh

MY REVIEW: PATH OF TOTALITY, Heather Kreke

Fast paced, thought provoking, inspiring.

Emotionally charged, non-stop heart-pounding action, and well developed relatable characters. Dystopian is not my usual genre, but Path of Totality kept me up reading late into the night. — Is this fiction, or the future? 

MY REVIEW: A beautifully written handbook crafted with heartfelt vulnerability for the grieving and those who seek to understand, aid, and comfort them.


After the Flowers Di: Encouragement for Walking Through Life After Loss, by Renee Leonard Kennnedy features brief chapters woven with wisdom, compassion, humor, and practical instruction. Sage advice to help prepare for and handle the aftermath of death of a loved one including legacies and legalities of inheritance. 
e: Encouragement for Walking Through Life After Loss

MORE GREAT BOOK IDEAS ON MY RESORCES PAGE HERE

PRIOR POSTS

• 
  A Time to Disobey
  “God, please don’t take Grandma from me yet,” I frequently prayed. Though I’d moved … Continue reading “A Time to Disobey”
• 
  Grit & Grace: Michael Duncan ~ Author, Pastor, Master of the One-Line Sermon Returns
  Feast on a banquet of truth from one who greets life’s challenges with grit … Continue reading “Grit & Grace: Michael Duncan ~ Author, Pastor, Master of the One-Line Sermon Returns”
• 
  The Futile Pursuit of Worry
  Jesus told us not to worry because he knew we would and thus need … Continue reading “The Futile Pursuit of Worry”
• 
  Unconscionable Delay
  Delay. Sometimes it’s divinely ordained, but most times it’s due to our negligence or … Continue reading “Unconscionable Delay”

SUBSCRIBE to my Tattoo it on Your Heart Newsletter for notifications of new blog posts and occasional offers and FREEBIES like this: CLICK HERE for Good News in a Sea of Bad News! FREE downloadable Gospel tract .

For our full #HealthyFaithchat schedule on Twitter and a list of upcoming topics please visit our website: HealthyFaithChat.com

Help from Focus on the Family 1-800-A-Family/ (1-800) 232-6459

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association  24 hour Prayer Line: (888) 388-2683

© 2023 Rachael M Colby | Tattoo It On your Heart

Author: Rachael M. Colby

Rachel M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect culture's questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate. She is an award-winning writer in the categories of articles, poetry, devotions, essays, flash fiction, and children’s picture books. Her article The Integration of Oak Ridge (the subject of her WIP) won the 2022 Selah Award for Articles in Print at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. She is a longtime member of The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild and a protégé in the Cecil Murphey Mentoring program. Rachael's work has appeared on the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Christian Devotions, Southern Ohio Christian Voice, Inkspirations Online, in the compilation books Creative Writing Journal: Faith Inspired Writing Prompts & Hope-Filled Poetry, Defining Moments: Memorable and Inspiring Stories from Outstanding Leaders, and The Courage to Write: 62 Devotions to Encourage Your Writing Journey, and in the Oak Ridger newspaper. This Jamaican-born wife, mom, beach bum, artist, and work in progress makes her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on copious amounts of coffee, chocolate, and a whole lot of “Help me, Jesus.” View all posts by Rachael M. Colby