n THE CARILLON STEINBACH, MAN. C2
n www.thecarillon.com THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2024
C hristmas W riting C ontest WINNERS
SECOND PLACE – ADULT STORIES
Contentment in an orange peel
by Selah Barkman BLUMENORT, MB
T he wind howled and snowflakes swirled out- side, almost whiting out my view from the front window. My teeth were already chattering at the thought of going outside. I took a deep breath then burst out of the house. Staggeringly strong gusts mixed with icy particles flew into my exposed face making me lean into the wind. The dim outline of the barn loomed ahead and I struggled toward it through knee deep snow. Grasping the handle and sliding the door open a crack I slipped inside. A soft moo and the scent of hay greeted me. I entered Daisy’s stall and grabbed the milking stool. Warm streams of milk sprayed into the metal pail as I milked our cow. I reached up occa- sionally to pat Daisy’s side. After mostly filling the pail and feeding the animals I headed back to the house. The miserable weather made me think of Papa. He was somewhere between home and town walking in the same bad weather. Our Oldsmobile was unreli- able, especially in cold, snowy weather. Stories I had heard made me fear for him. I remember hearing of a man who was caught in a snowstorm. He was tired and stopped to rest but never got up again. I prayed for Papa right there and then as I trudged toward the house. “Dear Jesus, please protect Papa and help him come home safely. Give him strength and guide his path. Amen.” Warmth and peace flooded through me as I stepped into the house. After taking off my winter clothes I brought the milk pail to the kitchen and then sat down by the fire to thaw. Mindy and Joelle played contentedly with my old rag doll. Rudy whittled away at a piece of wood while Lukas and Ezeriah watched attentively, not yet as skilled as their older brother. Mom peeled potatoes and baked pies for our Christ- mas dinner the next day. I just watched it all. That is, until Mindy and Joelle started nodding off. From the look Mom gave me, a tired smile and nod, I knew she was hoping I would put them to bed so she could kiss them goodnight later. I hoisted the sleeping Joelle onto my hip and took Mindy’s hand. Once we arrived upstairs in our room, I helped both of them into their hand-me-down pajamas and tucked them in. After putting Joelle’s favourite blanket in her bed, I went to sit by Mindy’s bed. “Tomorrow’s Christmas. Will we get presents, Eve- lyn?” Mindy asked in a sleepy voice. I didn’t know how to answer. We didn’t have the money for elaborate gifts like her church friends talked about. Papa had gone into town to see what he could buy with last months’ meager egg money. Instead I replied, “Don’t worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” She smiled at the verse then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. Her brown curls framed her dimpled face, radiating pure joy that couldn’t be dampened by a lack of money. I quietly tip-toed back downstairs, passing Lukas and Ezeriah, who were being herded upstairs by Rudy. A few minutes later he came back down. “Thanks so much, kids. Can you water the orange tree?” Mom said as she pulled an apple pie out of the oven. I grabbed the watering can and poured a bit of water into the coffee can filled with dirt. A five-foot tall slender plant with some leaves stretched toward the roof. A few years before, our uncle Albert had come for Christmas, bringing with him Tutje bags. The pa- per bags were filled with peanuts in the shell, pop-
corn, and an orange. Most of us savoured these gifts for a while. Ezeriah had even come up with the idea of planting one of the orange seeds to maybe get orang- es. Although our orange tree was luscious and healthy looking, it was evident that we wouldn’t get any of its fruit that Christmas. There weren’t even any blossoms but we still hoped for them each year. A sound at the door made me look up. Dropping the watering can I rushed to open the door with Mom and Rudy close behind me. Papa stood in the doorway, frost and snow caking his beard, making it look white. One strap of a leather pack hung over his shoulder. He sort of looked like the man I imagined Santa Claus to be. All three of us hugged him, despite getting slush and snow all over ourselves. “Thank-you Jesus!” I prayed under my breath. “So…what did you get?” Rudy asked, picking up the leather pack Papa had deposited on the floor. “Well”, he replied. “I think it’s time you two head to bed. You’ll see tomorrow.” Then, knowing we wouldn’t get any more out of him, we headed upstairs. I was almost asleep by the time I heard Mom’s gen- tle voice whisper, “Goodnight Evelyn.” With that, my heavy eyelids closed and I drifted off to dreamland. Excited voices, trying hard to stay quiet, woke me up. After yawning and sliding out of bed, I put on my clothes for the day. Joelle had been awakened by the same commotion as I had and was standing, holding onto the railing of her crib, babbling away in baby half-English. I picked her up and carried her down- stairs. What a sight I saw! Seemingly overnight, rare mandarin oranges had grown on the orange tree! Al- most as soon as Joelle saw the shiny orange spheres, she wriggled in my arms until I let her down. Toddling over to the orange tree, where the other kids were gaz- ing eagerly at the fruit, she grabbed one in her chubby hand and pulled it off the branch. Waving it in the air, Joelle smiled triumphantly. “Well, they were waiting for you two. Go ahead, you may each have one”, Papa declared. We all scrambled to pick an orange for ourselves. Mom took Joelle’s or- ange and showed her how to peel it. Even the scent of the peeled oranges was heavenly. The sweet juices trickled into my mouth as I bit through the skin of one of the wedges. None of us even thought about saving the delicacy for later. It was so good. We all sat there for a while, enjoying the oranges, until the scent of cook- ing pancakes tickled our nostrils. Scrambling to our spots at the table and setting half-eaten oranges next to our plates, we said a short prayer of thanks for what we had been given. Anticipating the end of the prayer, Lukas jumped the gun and reached for a pancake. I gave his shoulder a sharp squeeze, which made his hand recoil back into his lap as fast as a viper strikes. When Papa’s prayer actually ended we passed around the plate of pancakes and the dwindling bottle of last year’s maple syrup. The special breakfast filled us up and we thanked Mom heartily. After washing dishes, we got ready for the Christmas day church service. Ev- eryone put on their jackets, mitts, and boots then we filed out the door. Last night’s snow storm had added at least a foot of fluffy powder to the frozen ground. The sun, still low on the horizon, sparkled and glinted off the fresh snow. In the distance, I could see town and we headed toward it. As Joelle took her first step into the snow, she sank to her waist and flopped on her face. We all laughed and Papa scooped her up,
brushing the melting crystals from her cheeks. She seemed unfazed and smiled as big as before, making it all the funnier for the rest of us. We trudged along the road laughing and talking. Mindy, Lukas, and Ezeriah jumped in Papa’s footprints. I realized that we could be happy whether we had the money for gifts or not. Papa had been willing to go all the way to town in a storm to get oranges for us. Then he had given us the joy of finding them on the tree in the morning. Mom and Papa provided our basic needs and cared for us but most importantly they loved us. I knew that I could relate with Paul when he wrote in the book of Philippians, “I have learned the secret of being content in every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.”
SECOND PLACE – ADULT POETRY
Great cause to rejoice
by Patty Loewen MORRIS, MB
T he noisy streets were calming down. The moon was rising o’er the town. The inns were bulging, overflowing- Filled with travellers, to and fro-ing. From where she lay against the wall, The little lamb could barely call. “Baa”, she cried, shivering with cold.
Why was it she had left her fold? Scared to leave yet scared to stay. Ruth wiped a single tear away. “Why am I here while the others are not? This lonely barn is all I’ve got”. “I should be skipping and grazing and having my fill. On a grassy, outside-of-Bethlehem hill.” Another tear slid down her face. “Why am I here, in this lonely, dark place?” “I fear that I have lost my way,” She sighed and chewed a mouth of hay. The door squeaked open; the silence broke.
A man and woman; gentlefolk. “This quiet barn will have to do.
We’ll rest a while ‘til this is through”. Quickly, Ruth felt warm and cozy. Whispers and moonlight made her dozy. But all at once, she jerked awake. A strange, new sound? There was no mistake. She bounced to her feet on knobby legs. A baby wrapped in strips of rags? Excitement made Ruth feel so hollow.
“I need a snack”, she thought, but although She nudged the manger and found instead A baby cradled in that bed. “His name is Jesus”, the man explained. “Forever and ever, He will reign.” “He will save all people from their sin, Those who humbly ask Him in”. Ruth nosed the tiny baby’s face. Surely God was in this place. All fear was gone, all fright erased. Then suddenly, there burst forth light. Like burning candles in the night. Then music! Shouting! The bellows of sheep! All were awake - no one could sleep. “Good news I bring!” an angel voiced. “A Saviour is born - great cause to rejoice!” “Go with haste, as fast as you’re able. The Messiah, the Lord, was born in a stable.” Ruth’s eyes left the window and gazed at the child. She wasn’t forgotten - He was there all the while. In the distance, she heard sheep bleat to each other. Her sister! Her brother! Her father! Her mother! All coming closer, she noted with joy!
Warm wishes to all our members, customers and friends.
We appreciate your loyal support and look forward to continuing to serve you in 2025.
FUELLING YOUR CHRISTMAS
The barn door burst open, to worship the boy. The shepherds, frantic to share the good news
The miracle was proven - there was no time to lose. While Mary was pondering, Ruth was deemed “found.” She snuggled close to her family, all circled around. What escaped from Ruth’s lips as she chewed on her cud, Never before had she felt so much love.
“Once I was lost and now, I am not! I was alone, but then I was sought. That baby is special. Oh, Glory-be! He’d leave ninety-nine to come look for me!
So, Ruth told her story between mouthfuls of food, To uncles, and cousins, and aunts twice removed. “He loves you! You’re special! Don’t turn from His voice. He’ll be your good shepherd. A great cause to rejoice!”
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