Day 21 | Silver Bells a Historic Ring

12/21/2022

We all have dreams, sugar plum kind, hidden in our hearts. This time of year seems to shake them from their slumber. I hear yours; you hear mine. In the air, there's a feeling of Christmas.

Christmas is a portrait of hope, just like the dreams in our hearts.

Day 20...

...Day 22

Today we excitedly unveil the twenty-first drawer in our advent calendar, and the magic of the season is palpable all around us. Our cities are beautifully adorned with twinkling lights and festive decorations, creating a vibrant atmosphere that fills the air with holiday cheer. The laughter of children echoes through the streets, bringing warmth and joy, even if they occasionally drive you a little crazy with their boundless energy!
As people bustle about, some are hurrying home, perhaps with a few last-minute gifts that they’ve carefully selected for their loved ones. The sound of Silver Bells rings joyfully overhead, reminding us of the spirit of giving and the importance of togetherness during this enchanting time of year.
The streets are alive with the festive spirit, and each corner reveals a new delight—whether it’s a holiday market, a beautifully decorated tree, or the friendly faces of neighbors greeting one another. It’s a time for family traditions, creating joyful moments that will be cherished for years to come.
Let’s savor these December days, filled with love, laughter, and the magic of the holiday season.

I love the sound of the red-bucket ringers. They shake their silver bells at the front entrance of the local stores all around the earth. An army dedicated to Salvation. I answered that call one Holiday season.

The bells in my recording are authentic Salvation Army Ringers.

They assigned my post outside a local Albertson Grocery store and gave me a red bucket and bell. I bundled myself for the cold, rain and many passers-bye:
Some hurried, others frustrated, others oblivious to the bell.
But I was armed with holiday cheer.
I sang every Carole, first verse to last. My sound of music went to tell it on a mountain. People smiled, they lingered and reminisced, some requested a favorite they missed. Dads picked up there child and placed them high on the shoulder. Grandmothers told me a story from Ole'. I sang and I sang, till the cows came home with a hoarse voice, my bucket was filled toots sweet, again and again. Salvation, Hmm? may just be the silver bell sound that we remember from Him!

It's a memory I love and a feeling to share. My Silver Bell, tells the world that I care.

Happy Christmas

Credit: History of the Salvation Army

Soon after beginning his ministerial career in England in 1852, William Booth abandoned the concept of the traditional church pulpit in favor of taking the gospel of Jesus Christ directly to the people. Walking the streets of London, he preached to the poor, the homeless, the hungry, and the destitute.

When fellow clergymen disagreed with Booth’s unconventional approach, he and his wife Catherine withdrew from the church to train evangelists throughout England. The couple returned to the East End of London in 1865, where many followers joined their fight for the souls of lost men and women. Within 10 years, their organization, operating under the name “The Christian Mission," had over 1,000 volunteers and evangelists.
Thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards were among their first converts to Christianity. And soon, those converts were also preaching and singing in the streets as living testimonies to the power of God.
When Booth read a printer's proof of the 1878 “Christian Mission” annual report, he noticed the statement "The Christian Mission is a volunteer army." Crossing out the words "volunteer army," he penned in "Salvation Army." From those words came the basis of the foundation deed of The Salvation Army.
From that point onward, converts became soldiers of Christ and were known then, as now, as Salvationists. They launched an offensive throughout the British Isles that, in spite of violence and persecution, converted 250,000 Christians between 1881 and 1885. Their message spread rapidly, gaining a foothold in America and soon after Canada, Australia, France, Switzerland, India, South Africa, Iceland, and Germany.
Today, The Salvation Army is active in virtually every corner of the world and serves in over 100 countries, offering the message of God’s healing and hope to all those in need. Read the Entire Article