New Year - January 3, 2013

From:  The White River Current - Thursday January 3, 2013

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  Well, here it is only three days into January and I’ll bet most of you have already discarded those  resolutions you made.  Things like dropping a few pounds, exercising more, etc.  Did any of you resolve to do a random act of kindness every day?  Folks, we have to start treating each other with a little more respect.  We closed out the old year with a terrible tragedy at an elementary school in Connecticut.  Some twenty or so very young school children and several adults lost their lives at the hand of a twenty year old young man.  Oh, I know.  If he hadn’t had access to the guns, etc., etc. But, what if someone (a friend, or a neighbor

or relative) had  seen the warning signs and given this young man some attention, just maybe, but, of course, we probably will never know.  Let’s all continue to pray for the grieving.  Anyway, I hope everyone of you readers had a great Christmas with family and friends.  It’s seems to get more difficult every year to get all the family together at the same time and place.

I heard of one family that celebrated Thanksgiving Day on the traditional Thursday then had their family Christmas, opening gifts, etc., the following day (Friday) before everyone went their separate ways.  We spent family Christmas with the entire clan at the home of Ross and Leah in Tulsa on Saturday.  We had a great time eating, visiting, eating, playing games, eating, singing Christmas songs, opening gifts and enjoying the great grands, Molly and Nathan.  The next day (Sunday) we all attended a very inspiring worship service and, after lunch, said our goodbyes and departed to return to our individual homes.  This seems to be the norm these days when families are so scattered.  I’ve been trying to remember how Christmas was when I was growing up.  We always had a tree, a cedar, that we decorated with tinsel and silver icicles.  My mother would make popcorn balls.  We had Sunday School parties, usually at the American Legion hut.

The kids would each get a gift of an orange, an apple, some unshelled nuts and several pieces of hard candy.  On Christmas eve, Santa would arrive in Calico Rock.  Dressed in the traditional red suit, Santa (Dr. Copp) would climb aboard the train that had stopped for him at Creswell and ride into  town where a huge crowd had eagerly gathered to welcome him.  This was a wonderful tradition for many years and I only wish it could continue today. Santa riding into town on the fire truck is OK but it just isn’t the same.  Anyway, Anita and I enjoyed the time with our family and got back to town in time to attend the candlelight Christmas Eve service at our church.  It was wonderful.  Tom* shook the rafters with an outstanding rendition of “O Holy Night!”  and we all held high our lighted candles as we sang “Silent Night.”  On Christmas Day, Anita and I made a large pot of vegetable beef soup and a pan of corn bread.  How’s that for a delicious Christmas meal?  Gene joined us for lunch, after which we kicked back and watched a movie on TV entitled “The Christmas Story.”  Have you seen this?  It was filmed back in 1983 and didn’t do much until in 1997 cable channel TBS started running it non-stop for 24 hours on Christmas day.  Now it has bypassed “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34^th Street” as the favorite holiday movie.  A really good family movie about a twelve year boy wanting a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.  The scene that cracks me up occurs close to the end of the movie.  When the family loses their turkey and trimmings to a bunch of rowdy dogs, the father takes everyone out to a Chinese restaurant for Christmas dinner.  The waiters attempt to lift the spirits of the family by singing carols such as “Deck the “Harrs” with boughs of ‘Horry’ Tis the Season to be ‘Jorry”

Tra Ra Ra Ra Ra, Ra Ra, Ra Ra.”  Well, I thought it was funny as were several scenes.  If you didn’t get to see this movie, it will be on again this year on December 25, 2013.  Mark it on your calendar.  By the way, it has been made into a Broadway play so next time you are in NYC you might just want to take it in.  Anyway, I’m at the old computer keyboard,  looking back into the recesses of my mind for some memories to pass on to anyone who might be interested.  May this New Year be good for you and yours.  With love and blessings, this is Reed.  Bye for now.