Dear Friends,
I recently received a Christmas card from my cousin Beth which contained a copy of a Christmas letter my grandfather sent out 70 years ago, December 1944. Most of the world was at war and the days seemed dark. All three of his sons were serving in the global conflict. My grandfather was a minister and sent out the following missive to the “men in the service”. Perhaps our days are not so dark but life seems to be difficult much of the time and there seems to be so much hatred and conflict around us. Please accept this exhortation to keep Christmas in your heart this year and every year.
December 1944
Dear Friends:
Again there comes to us that blessed season when we are reminded of the birth of a little Child. It was centuries ago that God blessed our earth with a vision of His love in the form of the Christ-child. Men’s hearts are still stirred with the gladness of His coming.
Christmas comes to us this year in the midst of difficult days, but our observance of the day must not change. We must keep alive the sweet, tender symbols of the Yuletide; lights on tinseled trees, the crisp crumple of gift-wrappings, the holly wreaths in the windows. Our hearts must again burst forth in singing, “Glory to God in the highest.”
As we keep Christmas this year, may we find new faith being born in our hearts by the steadfastness of friends, the blessedness of home, the beauty of compassion and the courage of those who go out to resist evil in the world.
That we may be kept faithful to all that which is changeless in life, and that we may look out upon the Christmas Season with child-like wonder in our eyes, is our heartfelt Christmas prayer.
May the presence of the Christ-child in our hearts and lives lead us into the New Year with courage and assurance.
Very sincerely,
I.R. Dunlap
Merry Christmas from all of us at Ugandan Gold Coffee!
