A white Christmas memory

In the late '40s, the UMWA treated the children of the area to a Saturday afternoon matinee at the Capitol Theater on Chestnut Street. I sat enthralled through several cartoons and the movie, Alexander's Ragtime Band. It was my first movie experience, so I didn't join in the talk of the other children about the coming Christmas Day.

After the movie, several volunteers handed out treats. I don't remember what all we received, but I do remember getting one of those sticky popcorn balls wrapped in colored cellophane paper. A heavy, wet snow greeted my sister and me as we exited the theater. I shuffled my feet through the sloppy layer of snow as we walked to the corner of First Street and across Chestnut Street to Rinehart's Pharmacy. Dad had given us some money so we treated ourselves to a milkshake. To this day, I believe they made the best milkshakes I have ever tasted.

Filled with the cold, sweet treat, we continued along Chestnut Street and across the bridge. By the time we reached Levinson's Department Store, we were covered with snow. We brushed ourselves off and entered with no purpose but to look around and get out of the snow for a few minutes. Each time a clerk approached us, we moved on to another area.

Ten minutes later, we walked back out into the snow. We crossed to the Corner in front of Mary Swigle's Tavern and crossed Shoemaker Street, a feat much easier back then since Shoemaker wasn't a through street. We stopped again and entered the five and ten at Common's. We looked around in there for a few minutes to escape the snow. We crossed slush-covered Roberts Street and walked through McCrory's five and ten for a few minutes.

We soon built up our courage and walked out into the heavy snow and headed home. Even though I was only nine, the beauty created by the snow as it clung to everything was just as enchanting as seeing my first movie. We walked a mile through that snowstorm and arrived home cold, tired, and wet and very exhilarated by the day's experience. To this day, I love walking through snowstorms. However, my fascination with movies ended long ago.

Great truths about life that adults have learned

Families are like fudge...mostly sweet, with a few nuts.
Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.
Raising teenagers is like nailing Jell-O to a tree.
If you can remain calm, you don't have all the facts.
Today's mighty oak is just yesterday's acorn that held its ground.
My mind not only wanders; sometimes it leaves completely.
One reason to smile is that every seven minutes of every day, someone in an aerobics class pulls a hamstring.
God put me on earth to accomplish a certain number of things. Right now, I am so far behind I will live forever.

—Sent by Sallie Covolo

Defenses

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, and will say, "Destroy!"
—Deuteronomy 33:27 .

If we are called upon to suffer, we may be perfectly sure that we shall be rewarded for every pain and blessed for every tear. Underneath will be the Everlasting Arms and within will be the deep assurance that all is well with our souls. Nothing can separate us from the love of God—not death, nor life, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature.

— A. W. Tozer
Sent by Jim Martin

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