Hugs for the Holidays: Stories, Sayings, and Scriptures to Encourage and Inspire - Hardcover

Smith, John William; Leann Weiss Smith

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9781878990747: Hugs for the Holidays: Stories, Sayings, and Scriptures to Encourage and Inspire

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1878990748 ISBN 13: 9781878990747

Publisher: Howard Publishing Co., 1997

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The purpose of publishing was to increase faith, inspire holiness, and instill hope

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About the Author:

John William Smith has been a minister and teacher for over forty years, as well as writing several books.

He earned a B.A. in English from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in Education Administration from Northern Arizona University, and an M.S. in Bible from Lubbock Christian University. John and his wife, Judi, live in San Diego, California.

Judi teaches first grade, and his three children -- Lincoln, Brendan, and Kristen -- and foster daughter, Debbie, have all made careers teaching and ministering to others.

Chapter One

The Gift of Kindness

Look for me throughout your day! I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me refreshments; I was a stranger and you showed me hospitality and made me feel welcome. You met my needs when I needed clothes and looked after me with TLC when I was sick. You sacrificed time and visited me when I was in prison or shut-in. Don't miss the opportunities I place before you to meet me! Remember, whatever you do for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you do for me.

Love,

Emmanuel, God with You

Matthew 25:35-40

Inspirational Message

At this time of year, you are most certainly making a list andchecking it twice so you'll know what to look for when you goshopping. You do it every year. It's smart. Otherwise, you mightmiss someone or something you are supposed to remember. Thisyear, just so you won't forget, write this at the top of thelist: "Look for Jesus everywhere."

If you look, you'll see Him. The spirit of Christ is everywhereduring the holidays. That's why we love this time of year somuch. That's why we hear the endless quotes and comments abouthow nice it would be if everyone could have the Christmas spiritall year long. It is during these weeks, between Thanksgiving andChristmas, that we experience the heart and spirit of Jesus.

You can see Him in the extra expressions of courtesy and kindnessin some of your fellow shoppers. You can see Him on the road as aride is given to a cold and hungry hitchhiker trying to get hometo see his family. You'll recognize Him in hospital volunteershanding out gifts to seriously ill children, some of whom will goto be with Him before His birthday arrives. And there He is againin the smiles of those same children, as they receive theirgifts.

Once you start noticing, you'll be amazed at all the shapes andforms he takes. His spirit is there in the bell ringers,soup-kitchen servers, carolers, and helpers of the homeless. He'sright there in the bright smile of an expectant child, the tearsof a proud mother, and the embrace between longing parents and aprodigal son or daughter who's been called home by a still smallvoice. And when you look into a mirror, don't be surprised if yousee the sparkle of His spirit staring back at you.

Perhaps this is one item you can keep on your list all yearlong—"Look for Jesus everywhere."

I expect to pass through this world but once; any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now, let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.
–John Wesley

Seeing Jesus

In 1962 I was preaching in Indianapolis, Indiana. I wassingle, and it was Christmas time. I was headed home to Michiganto enjoy the holidays with my family. It was an extremely coldday, and it was snowing. The wind was howling out of the North,blowing thick clouds of fine flakes across the road—itlooked like a blizzard. The roads were icy in places, and therewas little traffic. Somewhere near Ft. Wayne, Indiana, I saw asoldier standing under an overpass. He had a green army cappulled as tight and low as possible over his head, his collar waspulled up around his ears, his hands were shoved down in hispockets, and he had a stuffed duffel bag standing beside him.

I was driving a Chevrolet Corvette, and I was going veryfast—faster than I should have been, considering the roadconditions. As I sped by, the soldier jerked one hand out of hispocket and raised his thumb. My Corvette had two seats—not afront and back seat, but two seats side by side—and I was inone of them. The trunk was big enough to hold three loaves ofbread and a pound of lunch meat. Not only was my limited trunkspace stuffed full with the clothes and boots I would need for mystay in Michigan, the front seat was stacked high as well, withthe presents that I had purchased for my folks and my nieces andnephews.

When I saw the soldier, I was going much too fast to stop, and Iwas well down the highway before I gave it much thought. I toldmyself that I couldn't possibly get him and his duffel bag in thecar—I debated about the terrible inconvenience and delay itwould cause if I did, and by the time I decided that perhaps Iought to at least offer to help, I was two miles down the roadand out of sight. But my Christian conscience really went to workon me. It was so cold, traffic was almost nonexistent—he wasa soldier—and it was Christmas. The inner battle raged foranother three miles. Finally, I decided I would never get anypeace unless I offered to help, so I made a U-turn and went back.I hoped with all my heart that someone else had picked him up.That way, I could satisfy my conscience and not beinconvenienced—wouldn't that be great?

But he was still there, looking more forlorn, lonely, and coldthan ever. I was disgusted. I pulled up and rolled down thewindow. He came running, stumbling on his numb feet, dragging theduffel bag. He leaned over and stuck his head in the window. Hisface was bluish, his teeth were chattering, his eyebrows andeyelashes were matted with frozen snow, and he could scarcelyspeak intelligibly.

"Thanks so much for stopping," he said. "I hadabout given up hope."

That was not what I wanted to hear. "Where are yougoing?" I asked, hoping that it was in some direction thatwould alleviate me from further responsibility.

"I live in Michigan, in Taylor Township," he saidhopefully. That was really discouraging. It wasn't directly on myway, but it wasn't too much out of my way either.

"I'm going to Royal Oak," I said reluctantly.

"Oh," he said, "I know where that is. That'sgreat! If I could just ride with you to Ann Arbor, it would meana lot to me. I'm almost frozen; I can't feel my ears or feet anymore," he said plaintively.

"I don't think I can possibly get both you and your thingsin," I said.

"If you'll let me, I'll get in—I promise you. I've beenstanding here for three hours."

I told him to try getting in, and we began rearranging things.The duffel bag was almost as big as he was, and there was onlyone place for it—the passenger seat. No matter how he put itin the car, he couldn't get in himself. I suggested that maybe hecould hide it somewhere and come back for it later. He said hecouldn't possibly do that; it had his kids' Christmas presents init, and he wasn't going anywhere without it. I finally got out,walked around the car, and told him to sit in the passenger seat.As he sat there, I wedged the duffel bag between his legs andbetween the floor and the roof of the car, I sandwiched all of mypresents around him—and I slammed the door. He couldn'tmove, he couldn't see out either the windshield or his sidewindow—but he was in. I still don't know how we did it.

Once he began to get warm, he began to talk. I found out he wasstationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

"Didn't I see you go by about five minutes ago?" heasked. I really felt stupid.

"Yes," I said very matter-of-factly.

"You mean you turned around and came back?" I nodded anaffirmative.

"Why would you do that?" I paused a long moment.

"Well, you see, I was raised in a home where helping peoplewho were in need was very important. In addition, I'm aminister—actually, it's more than that—I'm a Christian,and if it weren't for that, I'd probably still be going. I haveas hard a time doing the right thing as most folks. I fought withthis decision for five miles—it's Jesus who makes me dothings like turn around and come back. When I don't do the rightthing, I have this feeling He's looking at me, and He's sodisappointed that I can't stand it."

"Oh!" he said. "You don't know how that convictsme. I'm going to tell you something I never thought I'd tellanybody. I'm no Christian, but my wife is the best person in thewhole world, and she goes to church all the time and takes thekids. Truthfully, I've done everything I could to discourage her,but she just keeps going. She's all the time trying to get me togo, telling me that someday I'm going to wish I had.

"Do you know why I'm here hitchhiking? Let me te...

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