Pony Express Christmas - Jeremiah Sparling, an inexperienced rancher, and his oldest son Noah are stranded on the trail from town when a blizzard hits. At home, Grace Sparling tries to hide her fears from her three young sons and feels guilty over the harsh words she exchanged with husband that morning. A Pony Express rider pushes himself and his horse through the storm, picturing a warm room and a hot meal at the other end. Will he stop to help Jeremiah and Noah? Does he sense the danger that lurks? And does he know that he carries with him the meaning of Christmas in a most unexpected way?
Christmas Jars - Where did it come from? Whose money was it? Was I to spend it? Save it? Pass it on to someone more needy? Above all else, why was I chosen? Certainly there were others, countless others more needy than I…Her reporter’s intuition insisted that a remarkable story was on the verge of the front page. Rising newspaper reporter Hope Jensen uncovers the secret behind the “Christmas Jars” – glass jars filled with coins and bills anonymously given to people in need. But Hope discovers much more than she bargained for when some unexpected news sets off a chain reaction of kindness and brings above a Christmas Eve wish come true.
Every Christmas season, I tend to find so many blessings everywhere. Delicious Christmas food, light falling snow, and a big cup of hot chocolate. It’s a blessing to decorate the Christmas tree with my parents while listening to the Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas Album. And I always get goosebumps when I hear my Grandma Purple play Hark The Herald Angels Sing on the piano. There are little things like these that make me feel very blessed during the Christmas season. One thing that makes me feel blessed through the whole year, and not just at Christmas, are good stories and books! And that is exactly what I get to be surrounded by everyday here at the Cross Reference Library. With that in mind, the Christmas books that I wanted to share this week are Pony Express Christmas and Christmas Jars. I chose these ones, because when I found them in our library, something really stuck out for me. The pony express rider and the family behind the Christmas Jars went the extra mile to show kindness on Christmas. The rider literally did. My challenge for anyone reading this is to not only show kindness during the Christmas season, but everyday. Demonstrating God’s love to everyone you come across. So come on into the Cross Reference Library and check out how you can spread kindness this Christmas season.