Christmas Trees & Giveaway!

As Christmas trees start appearing, I am reminded of the time my young adult Sunday School class took over Christmas decorating of our church sanctuary.  All those years ago, we didn’t have much money for expenses, so we were overjoyed when the local radio announced a Christmas tree farm was giving away trees to churches.  All that had to be done was come to their forest, cut it down, and take it away.

That very day, a couple from our class went to the farm to mark the one to be cut.  In an effort to economize, we decided to decorate it with red bows we made, along with some white doves we had  just enough money to purchase.  The next weekend, the girls gathered to tie the bows, while two groups of guys went out to chop the tree and bring it back.  Long after we finished, the tree cutting group had not arrived.  In those pre-cell phone days, all we could do was wait.  As hours passed, we began to worry.  Eventually, the guys came back in what could only be described as a tree on wheels.The tree was HUGE!  Despite a group of strong young men, it took hours to cut the tree down, and then wrangle it back to the truck.  The tree top extended over the cab, while the trunk came out so far in the back, more time was spent cutting it to make it the length the truck could handle.

The girl who picked out the tree kept saying, “it didn’t look that big in the forest, really!”  Eventually we did get the tree in the church, after spending hours trimming it to fit.  But we had to move four double pews out of the sanctuary to get it in.  We didn’t need to worry about a star on top because there wasn’t room—it touched the top of the 2-story ceiling.   The choir members had trouble exiting the choir loft for the rest of the Christmas season because the tree branches stuck out so far.  There was also the problem of needing more bows to decorate the big tree, but we were out of money.  In the end, a nice couple took mercy on us and donated it.

We definitely decorated our 100-year-old church differently than it ever had been before.  Or since.  Our class never did Christmas decorations—or any other decorations for that matter—after that.  I wish I could say someone took a picture, but in the day of film only cameras, no one did.  But the whole situation definitely made many memories—including the looks on the faces of the congregation the next Sunday!

A Christmas Bundle Giveaway of 2 Christmas Fiction books & a Christmas CD! 

In the Christmas spirit, I am happy to say I have a giveaway of two Christmas books.  The first is Peace by Shelly Shepard Gray, the tale of impossible love between an Amish woman and a DEA agent.  Deciding months earlier to part, they are thrown together again in a situation that could change both their lives, if they live.  Silent Night Holy Night by Colleen Coble contains two mysteries and a little romance.  In the first, a peculiar event involving a parachuter occurs at a similar time that a girl goes missing, are they related?  In the second, a wedding may not take place because a mysterious phone call threatens death if it happens.  Also included is an instrumental selection of twenty Christmas songs such as Away in a Manger, The First Noel, and Joy to the World.

Want a chance to win this Christmas package? First, my blog must be followed to enter this giveaway.   Go to the upper right side of this page and follow my blog.  Then note in the Rafflecopter your email address, and that you have followed me, or you already are a follower.  I will use your email address to contact you if you win, and will not pass it on.  The best of luck to you.  You must be a resident in the continental USA and 18 or older to enter.  No purchase necessary! *

Only one entrant is allowed per mailing address, per giveaway. If you have won a prize from Walking with Jesus in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.   Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Giveaways only valid in continental USA.

*See Disclaimer Section in above drop-down heading under picture.

This giveaway is now over.

Thanks to everyone who entered!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Merry Christmas!

 

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