In “Coming Through the Blizzard,” we read about the Christmas Eve when it snowed and snowed and snowed. All the snow piled up on the houses and the roofs and the cars, and the sidewalks were completely covered. The minister was worried – with such bad weather, would anyone come for the service? He shoveled the walk and waited to see if anyone would come.
The starling came to huddle in the branches of the tree, and the custodian came to put the star on top. They were both there, coming on wing and, in the custodian’s case, on skis. The cat was there to curl up next to the radiator. Soon came a little boy dressed in red pajamas, clutching a teddy bear, half asleep in his mother’s arms.
A field mouse came to run across the organ keys, and then the real organist arrived, windblown and out of breath, armed with her music and her thermos, frozen fingers, all ready to play. Then the soloist came, prepared to sing songs of praise to the Most High, accompanied by that wonderful organ and by a delicate moth who flew around to the strains of the music, the candlelight illuminating its wings.
The warmth and the music reached out into the cold night and beckoned to a stranger passing by. She came in and was touched by the sight. Together, everyone sang and rejoiced as the hour drew nigh to midnight, and then, at the stroke of twelve, Christmas came to the service as well.
This book reminds us all that in the midst of our holiday preparations, even if there’s a blizzard, we should all take the time to remember why we are celebrating, and to remember Him who came and lived, died, and then rose again, all for us.
(This book was published in 1999 by Simon and Schuster and was illustrated by Jenny Tylden-Wright.)
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