Jimmy Stewart’s Wonderful Life

 

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

-previously published in the Light Magazine

 

One of our favorite Christmas movies is It’s a Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart plays the part of a generous but discouraged businessman who discovers that he really was making a positive impact. You will remember how the Christmas angel Clarence had to earn his wings by helping out Jimmy Stewart (aka George Bailey). George was so distraught at Christmas that he was about to jump off a bridge.  Clarence, the delightful angel shows George what an amazing impact his generosity is making, and how much poorer his town would be without him.

The movie was based on a short story and booklet The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1943. Stern wrote a Charles Dickens ‘Christmas Carol’ spinoff for the North American audience. In 1946, Frank Capra wrote the movie version.  It was initially seen as a box-office flop, falling three million dollars short of breaking even, and not even winning one Academy Award Oscar.  In 1947, the FBI and Senator Joseph McCarthy’s House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) secretly investigated It's a Wonderful Life, fearing it was "communist propaganda”, stirring up class warfare, because it portrayed the villain as being a "scrooge-type" banker.

Since It’s a Wonderful Life was seen as a failure, the producers didn’t even bother to renew the copyright license in the late 1970s. This meant that television studios could show the movie for free at Christmas. After a few years   It’s a Wonderful Life became a cult classic.   It later went on to become the number one inspirational North American movie ever made.

Who can forget the conflict around the Christmas tree as George Bailey was close to committing suicide? We loved his honest prayer: “Dear Father in Heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way. I’m at the end of my rope. Show me the way, God.” His unscripted tears were genuine. Stewart commented in a 1987 interview, “As I said those words, I felt the loneliness, the hopelessness of people who had nowhere to turn, and my eyes filled with tears. I broke down sobbing.” Actress Carol Burnett called this one of the finest pieces of acting ever seen. Because Jimmy Stewart was suffering from post-World War II PTSD, he was able to connect with George Bailey’s trauma with unusual depth.  On his twentieth combat mission flying over the city of Gotha, the floor of Stewart’s plane was hit, blowing a hole right below his feet.  It was one mission too many for Stewart.  He was grounded because of his paralyzing fear of making a mistake and causing someone to die. Friends observed that he had aged ten to twenty years. He began suffering from shakes, sweats, a short temper, mood swings, and nightmares.  He couldn’t keep food down, and had to live on just ice cream and peanut butter.

Christmas 1946 was surprisingly healing for both George Bailey and Jimmy Stewart himself. Who can fail to recall the final scene around the Christmas tree when all his friends come together and unite in support? Who can forget the joyful Christmas carols sung by Jimmy Stewart, friends and family as they thanked the baby Jesus for the true meaning of Christmas?

This Christmas, let not forget to unwrap the true gift of Christmas, the Christ Child come to earth to save us.

Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

Co-authors of God’s Firestarters

Reflection on November 1 – All Saints’ Day by Eleanor Shepherd

         

  On Sunday morning as I was getting ready to go to church, I was listening to the radio. All the discussion was about Hallowe’en, that seems to have become an event that stirs the imagination of everyone. Yet I find that much of the focus is on death, darkness, fear and what I consider a negative world view. It seems a travesty of what I have understood Hallowe’en to be originally. 

              It is the Eve of All Hallows’ Day, a time when evil is recognized as reaching its limitation. You see All Hallows’ Day is a celebration of the unity that exists among all those who have sought to follow God in the centuries before they existed and all those who are currently trusting in God and all those who in the future will respond to the call to follow Him as well. This celebrates valuing of one another as we travel the same journey following the path of faith.

 

As I further reflected, I saw a unique parallel between Hallowe’en and All Saints Day and Good Friday and Easter. Hallowe’en is a time when the focus is on darkness and evil and shadows and masks, even cruelty and death. Good Friday focuses on a time when evil seemed to dominate as One who showed love and kindness was made to suffer and die, a victim of the darkness that held sway at the time. 

             Then All Saints Day follows Hallowe’en and the focus shifts completely to those who have realized that their lives have been or are being or will be transformed by a love that conquered evil on Good Friday. 

            Love that creates this unique union of those who are accompanied by the great cloud of witnesses, who are believers. We read about them in the letter written to Hebrew followers of the way. It includes people like Abraham who trusted God, Moses who obediently led God’s people to trust Him, King David described as a man after God’s own heart, and many others. Then the disciples of Jesus found their lives transformed by this love and felt compelled to go, strengthened by God to share the news of this transforming love to those who followed through the ensuing centuries, until it came to those of us who are alive and experiencing that same love today. The legacy we leave is the possibility for our children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren to know the transforming power of that love in their lives as well, as they offer their lives to God who is love. 

             It is love that finally triumphs over evil, by a reversal of values. Evil depends on the strength of force and might. Love is a surrender of these that opts for kindness and caring and life-building for others, giving of oneself for their sake. It is the message of the One who lay down His life for all of us. That is the message of Easter and it is the message of All Saints’ Day. 

What Are You Doing? by Eleanor Shepherd

  For a few years now, I have spent twenty minutes in the morning trying to listen to what God has to say to me. Yet He often remains silent. 

One Monday morning not long ago, I said to Him, “If I can’t hear You, could you at least show me what You are doing?” Then, reaching for my phone to set the timer I noticed a text from our son, in Toronto. Texts from him early in the morning are unusual. 

It included a photo. The text read, “I need help urgently. My wheelchair is broken in two places and it will take at least several days to get parts. In the meantime, I’m bed-bound. Also, my desk fell over.” The photo showed the chaos of his room. 

I ran to the bedroom and showed Glen, my husband. His solution was John’s old manual wheelchair in our storage cupboard in the basement. We ferreted it out and threw it in the car. Texting John to let him know we were coming; the next hurdle was to arrange the repairs our car needed before it was safe to travel.

A week earlier, Glen made an appointment to bring the car in that day for the repairs, as it was a particularly busy time. Learning of our plight, the garage owner rescheduled the repairs and put our car first on the list. While it was being repaired, Glen went to the office in a courtesy car to fetch files he needed for an important meeting online the next day. 

By mid-morning we were on the highway and were in Toronto by 4:30 Monday afternoon. Pulling the old wheelchair out of the car, we discovered the pin that holds the right wheel on to the chair was missing.  

Only one place in Toronto provides wheelchair repairs and many of our experiences with them over the past twenty years, since John’s accident have been negative. The company has changed hands several times but never seems to be able to deal with all of the demands. Without other options we had to call them. 

Checking their number on line, we found out the service department was closing in five minutes. John risked spending another day in bed, increasing the possibility of bedsores that take months to heal.

However, when John pressed the key to check their hours, a voice asked what help he needed. He explained about the pin and the person on the line said she would check their warehouse to see if they had one. A short while later, she called to report she had not found the pin, but was going to check with her manager. He might know if they had one. Soon she called back again to say they found the pin. We could bring the chair at noon on Tuesday to make sure it would fit. 

When we went to the shop Tuesday, we also brought the chair that had broken. John had made an appointment for them to come and pick it up from his place on Thursday, since he obviously could not bring it in. If we brought it Tuesday, it could be repaired sooner. 

The pin fit perfectly and although the tires were bald and the rims needed replacing, the old chair was quickly made functional. If they could find another set of wheels in the warehouse, they would bring them with the repaired chair to John’s place Thursday. 

However, while we were waiting for all the paperwork to be done for the old chair, the supervisor came into the room and said to us. “Well, we have a miracle here. We were able to repair this chair as well. There was the broken chair, fixed and ready to go.” We were overjoyed, and loading the two functioning chairs in the car we headed back to John’s place.

As we drove back, I marveled with Glen about all that we had seen. To me it was evidence of how God is caring for our son and thereby showing us His love. He knows the concerns of our hearts and responds to them. I heard His love. 

Are We Almost There?

 

 Are We Almost There? — Carolyn Wilker

How long will this last? We asked that question two years ago when the first COVID lockdown occurred. At first, with no appointments or meetings, it provided a break from steady routines. But then it stretched out into weeks and months and before we knew it a year had passed. I longed for hugs from my grandkids. Visits with my friends.

When our daughter Laura brought groceries, my two oldest granddaughters came along. They stood outside on the front porch wistfully looking in and I looked outside, feeling the same. We were doing what we ought; it was so hard. Ana said, “I wish we could hug.” Great sadness filled her eyes. We started the air hug right then. “When we can hug again, I want a 72-hour hug!” she said. I agreed. We did the hugs with arms crossed and each hand touching the opposite shoulder. 

Much later we managed outdoor visits, porch to sidewalk, and then summer 2021, our first hug. The longest wait ever! Before that though we got creative with stories over Facetime, music jam sessions that way too. Whatever would we have done without technology? It was the way we stayed connected.

driveway dance party

  planting a garden                               

                                                                                                       We baked too

 

Things we did to occupy ourselves in those early COVID days and forward

 

Reminds me of a devotional I wrote not so long ago. I wanted to say so much more, but I had to stay within a certain number of words for the publication. So I whittled and whittled words. The text was about Abraham and Sarah in Ur, near their family, being told by God (Genesis 12:1) that they must leave their homeland and go to a place that God would give them. Talk about uncertainty!

The second: “I will make of you a great nation,” (v.2) and their descendants would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. Pretty hard to believe if you’re 72 like Abraham with a wife equally as old. 

You and I would have planned our trip, with maps, Google searches, and GPS to know where we’re going. But Abraham had none of those. In fact he had no idea where they were going. They would have folded their tent, packed their gear, and set off, only God knew where. They had to develop patience if they didn't have it before.

They were told only, “A land I will give you.” Perhaps they lost track of time, but God was their guide and on they went. It must have felt like forever. After troubles along the way, they reached Canaan. Abraham was told this is their ‘forever’ home. Finally!

I’m guessing we probably would have gotten off that ride earlier, if we could. Like children on a long car ride. Are we almost there? Which reminds me of where we are today. I hope we get to the end of this ride soon, even if life is a little different than before. And God is there as our guide even as God was to Abraham.

Carolyn Wilker is an author, editor and storyteller from southwestern Ontario.

https://www.carolynwilker.ca/

 

                                                         Photo by David McCammon

 

 

 

 

William Morgan, Missionary Inventor of Volley Ball

 

By Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

-an article in the Engage Light Magazine

Being made in our Creator’s image, is it any surprise that Christians keep creatively inventing? Few people know that two of the most popular sports, basketball and volleyball, were both invented by Christian missionaries in the 1890s as evangelistic sports?  Many of us first learned to play volleyball during our school gym class.  Who might have imagined that 127 years later, over 46 million North Americans and 800 million people globally would now participate in volleyball? Some estimate that volleyball has become the most popular team sport in the world.

Born in 1870 at Lockport, New York, William G. Morgan loved working at his father's boat yard on the banks of the Old Erie Canal. Like many young men, he wanted to be just like his dad. So at age 14, he initially ran away from home to work on a canal boat.  At age 15, William actually dropped out of school because he felt awkward about being larger than most of his classmates.  His godly mother, seeing his academic gifting, had him apply to the famous evangelist Dwight L. Moody’s Mount Hermon School.  A local pastor, R. Norton, supported Will’s application, stating, “He is very thoughtful and interested in spiritual things. He is very reliable and has much symmetry of character.” Willam’s Sunday School teacher wrote this endorsement of the Morgan family:

His mother is a remarkable woman. A devout Christian, a “main stay” in her Church; calm, quiet, dignified in her bearing, she purchases ably and shows great executive ability earnestly and most devoutly does she work and pray for the good of young people of East Lockport. Respectfully, L. F. Helmer (Mrs. J. S.)

William’s initial application sadly was not accepted.  Fortunately, his persistent Sunday School teacher sent a second endorsement letter, saying,

I simply write to ask attention to it, as his call is critical. If Will is not accepted now, for term beginning in Feb., there is great reason to fear he will never go to school again. Not from his wish, but from circumstances….A thoroughly established Christian, inheriting from his mother superior qualities of mind and heart, he is well worth polishing for his Master’s use. I beg your attention to his application. Respectfully, Mrs. J. S. Helmer.

Within a week, Will was accepted into Mount Hermon, where he had a steady diet of bible, academics, music, and sports.  While singing on evangelistic tours, he fell into love with the pianist, Mary King Caldwell, his future wife.  Football became his passion.  When the Mount Hermon football team held its own against the superstar YMCA Springfield team, William was recruited four days later by the Springfield Coach Dr. James Naismith.  Springfield College was part of the muscular Christianity movement, creating such a strong football team that they defeated the best of the University teams, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

After Dr. Naismith received a nasty concussion, he invented a kinder, more Christian sport, basketball.  William Morgan, who was mentored by Dr. Naismith, became the YMCA physical education director in Holyoke, Massachusetts. There, he noticed that basketball was too rigorous for middle-aged business people. So in 1895, he invented volleyball, as a gentler spinoff from basketball.  As a non-contact sport, there were far fewer bloody noses. It was a clear example of iron sharpening iron. In creating volleyball, William adapted ideas from handball, baseball, tennis, and badminton. His desire was to invent a new game which everyone could play, regardless of their age or physical ability.  Initially he called it Mintonette. Fortunately, he wisely listened to Professor Alfred Halstead’s advice to rename it as Volleyball.  Needing a lighter ball than a basketball, he asked A.G. Spalding to create one.  Writing the original rules for volleyball, William printed them in the first edition of the Official Handbook of the Athletic League of the Young Men’s Christian Associations of North America (1897). William Morgan left his job at the YMCA in 1897 to work for General Electric and Westinghouse.  Even though no longer a YMCA missionary, William said that he was "content in the knowledge that the (volleyball) game brought a richer life to millions of people throughout the world."

in 1900 Canada became the first country outside of the USA to adopt the game. YMCA missionaries quickly introduced Volleyball to missionary schools in Asia.  It became so popular that it was played in the Oriental Games as early as 1913.  Once again, it was YMCA missionaries who ministered to the body, mind and spirit through volleyball: Hyozo Omori and Franklin Brown in Japan (1908), Elwood S. Brown in the Philippines (1910), J. Howard Crocker in China, and Dr. J.H. Gray in Burma, China & India. Volleyball, like basketball, was truly a missionary sport with global impact.  In the early YMCA, founded by the evangelist Sir George Williams, they didn’t just play sports.  Before each game, they would have a time of Christ-centered bible study and prayer with the sports team.

Volleyball caught on in Russia through the YMCA. When the YMCA were kicked out in 1927 of Russia for being capitalist and religious, volleyball however was allowed to remain. Russia eventually became the dominant team globally.  During WWI, the USA troops brought volleyball to Europe.  Volleyball was first demonstrated in the 1924 Parish Olympics, but not added as an official Olympic sport until 1964. Beach volleyball did not get accepted in the Olympics until 1996.

We thank God for William Morgan, an amazingly creative missionary, who left us with a healthy, non-violent sport that has impacted the world.

Rev. Dr. Ed & Janice Hird, co-author of God’s Firestarters 

 

ANOTHER WAY by Eleanor Shepherd

          Emerging from the global pandemic, I am appalled at the level of aggression I observe in public discourse. I must admit though, it has not taken me by surprize.  

Glen, and I went to a movie a few years ago. During the previews, before the movie started, I was disturbed to note the number of new movies coming out that were characterized by violence.  

That evening, perplexed by the previews, I thought, “I wonder where is all this violence is coming from and where is it taking us.”  

Perhaps I am now finding out. We are emerging from the isolation and frustration of the global pandemic and don’t know what to do with the emotions being stirred up in us; emotions generated by the experiences created during a violent interruption to normal routines.

Already unbalanced by this, we are being thrust headlong into an uncertain future where all the goalposts have shifted. Serious questions come at us about topics that include all sorts of unheard-of questions about our sexuality, about racial injustice in so many parts of the world and about historic decisions made by, or creating consequences for, us and our ancestors. These pressing questions linked with current economic and social anxieties create strong emotional responses.  

In the confusion, we grasp desperately for some answers or resolutions to our unsolvable problems. Panic leaves us looking for scapegoats. We search desperately for an easy fix to ease our emotional pain.  

Political leaders, scientists, pollsters, government officials, religious leaders, as well as interest groups on both the left and the right politically, offer opinions and sometimes quick solutions. They state their views aggressively with the certainty that they are right and all others are in error. The result manufactures greater tension without resolution. 

In the contradictory rhetoric, we hear the offer of simple, certain and cost-free solutions popping up. Then, we realize few people have taken the time and effort to seriously consider all the aspects of these problems. Has anyone focused attention on figuring out any reasonable ways we might find a compromise or attempted to consider the merits of another point of view.  

Media giants place their bets on what appears as a popular viewpoint and amass all the evidence available to support that position. It is out of the question to consider positives as well as negatives of a contrary view. The dominating fear is having to live with ambiguity, and admit we do not have all the answers.  

I wonder if this reflects what the polls tell us. Many have jettisoned long held faith. Did they think all the questions would be answered by the technology we were developing? Ironically questions push much scientific research. Many life-giving solutions continue to be discovered, on the way by, as scientists seek answers to logical questions. Have we given up too easily on the serious issues that challenge our faith? 

What we, as people of faith, sometimes fail to realize is questions can nurture our growth and lead us into deeper spiritual knowledge and understanding. We need not resort to easy answers. Why do we assume that what always was is the way things must always be?

  

         As we ask ourselves and each other tough questions about how we are to live today, we grapple with the hard issues.  Together we seek real answers and create a solid base on which we rebuild our lives. That security can afford us patience to work through unanswered questions. With the accompanying courage we learn to accept and live with ambiguity. Only One knows everything. That is God, whom we ultimately trust.  

His presence, with us and in us, is enough. Trusting Him, we have no need to resort to name calling or to see those who think differently as demonic opponents. Jesus demonstrated that God alone can give us the ability to offer sufficient love in our interactions with others to open doors for dialogue.