Bed Coverings Help in Cold Winters

Fireplaces in bedrooms were rare in early America, and, even if they had them, the rooms would still get cool on winter nights. Having proper beds and bed coverings helped. For one thing, the adult beds were often higher off the floor, where the coldest air settled. This even continued through the turn of the 20th century with the popular high iron bed frames.

Bed coverings, especially for the wealthy, often included beds with canopies and curtains that could be closed to block some of the drafts and cold air. Cover in colder regions often piled on the bed during the winter with so much weight it became difficult to turn over during the night. Bed warmers, lidded pans with a long handle attached, were filled with hot coals and placed between the sheets on cold winter nights a little before bedtime and then removed right before lying down.

Mattresses filled with feathers tended to be warmer than those filled with corn shucks, leaves, dried grass, or other materials. So, homemakers saved the feathers from the fowls cleaned to cook. Of course, beds were put together differently then. Ropes were strung through the bed frame in both directions, and the mattresses rested on them. A wooden tool was used to help keep the ropes tight enough not to sag.

Of course, the poorer the household, the less the family had to offset winter conditions. Although it's interesting to take a look back into history, most people wouldn't like to live there permanently. We're too used to being comfortable.

______________________________________

Names for Jesus

Just as God was addressed by different names in the Bible (see former blog ( https://janicecolehopkins.blogspot.com/2019/05/some-biblical-names-for-god-thou-shalt.html), so was Jesus, and these names and titles were significant. They give information about who He is. Here is a list:

Immanuel - It means "God is with us."

Holy One of God - This speaks to Jesus' perfect, sinless nature

Light of the world - He would bring light, understanding, and hope into a dark, sinful world.

Son of David - He was born of the lineage of David and will be the One to bring in the kingdom and complete the promises to David.

The Good Shepherd - Jesus is the Chief Shepherd who leads, guides, and protects His flock.

Bread of Life - He is as essential as the basics that sustain life.

The Word - John 1:1 tells us that the Word was in the beginning, was with God, and was God. This is usually seen as a reference to Jesus.

Lord of glory - Jesus has the power and majesty of God.

Mediator - He is the advocate of believers with the Father, proclaiming that we are His.

Chief Cornerstone - He is the solid foundation of a meaningful life.

High Priest - Jesus is our perfect mediator with the Father.

Prophet - He, even more so than the prophets before Him, spoke for God.

The Christ - Jesus is the anointed One of God whose coming was foretold by Old Testament prophets.

Lord - He is sovereign, our Redeemer and Savior.

Alpha and Omega - He is the beginning and the end of everything good.

Son of God - This speaks to Jesus' deity and his special relationship with the Father.

Son of Man - This tells of Jesus' humanity and hints at his suffering that would end in exaltation. 

Savior - He would deliver those who believed and invited him to be the Lord of their lives from all sins.

Lamb of God - Jesus offered Himself to be the ultimate sacrificial lamb to atone for sins.

Firstborn of the Dead - He broke the chains of death and allowed us to be resurrected to a glorious life with Him.

King of Kings and Lord of Lords - This title addresses His almighty power, sovereignty, and majesty.

To Him be the glory!

______________________

Publishing Christmas Books

Many Authors publish Christmas books, and I've been wondering if the limited seasonal sales make them worthwhile. Do they sell enough over the holidays to warrant publishing them? Many readers look for them, and I'm one of those. But I only read them after Thanksgiving until New Year's Day.

I have a book being edited that begins in October and ends right after Valentine's Day. The Christmas season is a big part of the book. Should I market it as a Christmas book next year or not? Buy the Book doesn't have a Christmas title, but I could add a subtitle if needed. Or perhaps I could market it as a regular book and add the Christmas information to any posts around that time.

I would love to hear what other authors think about this. I have asked on some writers' sites, but I haven't received any answers. Readers' and narrators' responses would also be helpful. What do you think? Are separate Christmas books a good idea or not? Or do they only work for the big-name authors who can sell about anything?

_____________________________

Why Reindeer Pull Santa's Sleigh

Let's take a closer look at why and how reindeer have become one of our Christmas symbols. The first time a reindeer officially appeared in connection with Christmas came in 1821 when a poem, "Old Santeclaus with Much Delight," was published in New York in a small paperback book, The Children's Friend: A New-Year's Present, to Little Ones from Five to Twelve. One of the eight illustrations showed a single reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh.

Of course, some of the legends about the forerunners of Santa Claus were set in cold climates where reindeer dwell. The most famous event that solidified the reindeer as part of Christmas, however, came in 1823 when the well-known poem, "A Visit from Saint Nicholas," by Clement C. Moore came out. The poem also became known as " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas." In this poem, eight reindeer pulled the sleigh, and they are given by name: Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder (usually known as Donner), and Blixem (Blitzen).

From there, reindeer became more and more popular, until Gene Autrey released the song, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" in 1949, and interest mushroomed. Since then there're been all kinds of movies, T.V. specials, products, artwork, and media showing reindeer for Christmas. They have become one of the Christmas icons.

_______________________________

The Prophecies and Why Jesus Had to Come

But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled (Acts 3:18).

There were many prophecies about Jesus in Scriptures we call the Old Testament, and He was often mentioned in some way. Abraham was promised his descendants would form a nation that would be blessed by God and have a special relationship with Him (see Genesis 12:1-3). Jacob knew that the Messiah would come from the tribe of Judah (see Genesis 49:10). God promised David that his descendants would reign forever (see 2 Samuel 7:12-16). Isaiah told that the Messiah would be born of a virgin (see Isaiah 7:14), and Micah said He would be born in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2). Jesus was born of a virgin in Bethlehem to fulfill all this and to validate He was indeed the long-awaited Messiah.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

Why did he have to come? Only a perfect, sinless Redeemer could be the sacrifice for the sins of all the world. Only God's Son could do that, but He must take on human form (see Hebrews 2:14-15 and Galatians 4:4-5). This is why He came to earth in human form and why His birth is so vitally important. The season of Advent (a word that means coming), is reason to celebrate. Yet, the celebration shouldn't end on Christmas Eve, it should continue, always in our hearts.

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways (Proverbs 23:26).

Christmas should be a spiritual experience. As Warren W. Wiersbe writes in his book, C Is for Christmas: "Jesus was physically born in Bethlehem so He could be spiritually born in the hearts of those who believe in Him. Jesus is God's gift to the human race. Receiving Jesus means believing that He is God's Son who...lived a sinless life, died for our sins, and rose to live forever. Receiving Jesus means receiving the gift of salvation. That is the experience of Christmas."

_________________________________

Off the Streets

My latest book, Off the Streets, has just been released. It is the first of a two-book series that I'm calling Another Chance and is set in Charlotte, North Carolina. I wrote Off the Streets as a standalone, but when I finished, I knew I needed to tell Brandon's story, too. Without a Dream will be the second and final book in the series. However, all my books always have a definite ending. 

When Gwen McAllister is accosted behind the soup kitchen where she volunteers, she wants to repay her homeless rescuer, so she talks him into going to her home for a meal. Despite her son’s and sister’s objections, there's something about the man that she trusts.
Hunter Nash reluctantly goes with Gwen, but he leaves as soon as he can. With the baggage he carries, the widow and her three children don't need him around. However, circumstances put them together again, and Hunter finds it difficult to keep his feelings turned off and remain uncaring. But he's determined to protect Gwen and her family, even from himself.

Since her husband died, Gwen has been struggling with being the sole parent for her three children and an older sister that wants to take over. Hunter is a different kind of hero for me. He was a member of the Army Special Forces who met with tragedy both in the field and at home and has been running from his demons ever since. I'm excited about this series because I think readers will love it. It's warm and tender and filled with underlying truths. You may just fall in love with Gwen and Hunter the way I did.

Off the Streets (Kindle) - https://www.amazon.com/Off-Streets-Another-Chance-Book-ebook/dp/B082SYS7KZ

Off the Streets (paperback) - https://www.amazon.com/dp/167546703X

______________________________

Commercially Produced Christmas Cards

First commercially produced Christmas card - 1843

Christmas cards may be newer than you would have guessed. Although there's mention of large amounts of Christmas cards sent out by wealthy families in colonial times, these cards were handmade by staff or family members. Research shows that the first commercially produced Christmas cards came from London in 1843. They were commissioned by Sir Henry Cole and illustrated by John Callcott Horseley. 2,050 cards were made in two printings and sold for a shilling each. Cole had helped introduce the penny post in 1840, and he hoped the Christmas cards would encourage its use.

1950's Christmas card

Store-bought Christmas cards began selling in America in 1874. By 1880, one card manufacturer was producing over five million cards a year. Through most of the 1900s, production and sales continued to climb. However, toward the end of the century and into the 21st, the popularity of cards started to decline. Even with this decline, about 1.9 billion Christmas cards were sent in 2005.

WW II Christmas card

Today, however, most people have quit sending Christmas cards.  Yet, there are those who collect Christmas cards, and some of their collections are huge and worth a lot of money, especially if they include some of the older or rare cards. Queen Mary was a collector, and her collection is housed in the British Museum. Valuable cards can still be found packed away in attics or storage areas. And there's still something special about receiving a Christmas card.

___________________________________

The Town of Bethlehem

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be the ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting (Micah 5:2).

Bethlehem lies about six miles southwest of Jerusalem in Judah. It has a long history and is mentioned almost thirty times in the Old Testament. Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. Caesar Augustus had unknowing set this in motion when he decreed a census for the purpose of taxation be held, and every person was to register in the city given to their ancestors. Therefore, Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, unto Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) (Luke:2:4).

In the Old Testament, Jacob's beloved wife, Rachel, died in childbirth near Bethlehem. Another of the Bible's strong love stories took place there. Ruth and Boaz met around Bethlehem and married there. They had a son, Obed, who was David's grandfather, and King David himself was from Bethlehem. When he hid in a cave while in exile, David remarked that he wished he had a drink of the clear water from the well at Bethlehem. Three of his soldiers heard him and managed to bring him back some, but David refused to drink it because they had risked their lives for his simple whim. It was to this town that Mary and Joseph journeyed to find it crowded, and they could find no inn that wasn't full, so Mary delivered her special Son in a stable.

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33).

"Bethlehem" means "house of bread" and came from the fact that the land in the area produced well. Bread was a life-giving substance. It was common knowledge among the Jews that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, and Jesus came to be the Bread of Life for all people who would accept Him. The prophecy of prophets such as Isaiah, Micah, and Daniel had been fulfilled. Christ, the Lord, was born in Bethlehem.

______________________________ 

Smooth Writing

A recent review of one of my books on Amazon made me smile. It read: "Good book. Enjoyed it very much.... Hopkins has a smooth style of writing." I smiled because one of the things I try to do in my novels is deliver a smooth writing style. It helps the flow and enables the reader to enjoy the book more.

An author wants the reader to be emersed in the story and invested in what happens to the main character(s). This is the mark of a great read. Rough text, mistakes, and a number of other problems will pull the reader out of the story, and make them consider how the book is written rather than what is happening in the story.

I work to make the words on the page flow smoothly, so the reader can get lost in the story. I'm conscious of this anytime I write but especially in my first edit. I'm glad this reviewer recognized it, and I smiled because I felt I had achieved at least one of my goals in the writing process.

______________________________

"A Charlie Brown Christmas"

By Source (WP:NFCC#4), Fair use,
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44158630

On December 9, 1965, CBS broadcasted the first Charlie Brown television special, "A Charlie Brown Christmas." This new undertaking was commissioned and sponsored by the Coca Cola Company. Charles Schulz's comic strip had come out in 1950 and was going strong by the 1960s. Perhaps this new venture would lead to a series of Charlie Brown specials.

Charles Shulz

Yet, several unconventional elements in the special led producers and the network to think their new venture would be a flop when they previewed it. For one thing, the soundtrack featured jazz music, and there was no canned laughter as audiences had come to expect in such productions. And if this wasn't enough, the voices of the animated characters were mainly done by children. 

Instead of failing, however, audiences loved the show. It had high ratings, and critics raved about it. In fact, it received an Emmy. And audiences have been enjoying "A Charlie Brown Christmas" every Christmas season since its debut. It's become an American Christmas tradition.

_______________________________

Let It Be

And the angel said unto her, Fear not Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And behold, thou shalt bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (Luke 1:30-31).

Mary must have been a special, godly person to have been chosen by God to be the earthly mother of his Son. The Bible tells us that she had found favor with God. She would get to mother the Messiah, the long-awaited, promised One who would be the Savior of the world. But what a responsibility!

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35).

However, she was promised from the very beginning that the Holy Spirit would come upon her, and I'm sure He was with her through all that she would face ahead, and she faced some trials. Not long after Jesus was born, the family would have to flee to Egypt to escape Herod's jealous wrath. And I can't even imagine watching the child you had birthed and raised be abused and crucified. 

And Mary said, Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her (Luke 1:38).

Mary served the Lord. Anything He asked of her she would do -- even this astounding request of a virgin birth. She must have known she would face ridicule and rejection. She could have even been stoned to death, but she trusted God and wanted His will to be done. We should do the same and be just as faithfully committed to God as this teenager was. There are many important lessons to be learned throughout the Christmas story.

___________________________

Mountain Storms on Audible

I am thrilled to announce my historical novel, Mountain Storms, is now available on Audible. The other two in the series will follow soon. But keep in mind, all my books are also standalones. In Mountain Storms, Aileas Douglas's family situation worsens, and she runs away, however, she’s unprepared for the rugged Wyoming mountains. A friendly dog leads her to safety, but his master might just present the most danger of all, especially to her heart. 

Ian MacGregor had been wounded in the Civil War and deserted by his betrothed because she didn't want a scarred husband, so he becomes a recluse in a remote cabin in Wyoming Territory. When Aileas appears beside his sickbed, he thinks she might be an angel, but even later, he’s drawn to her in ways he doesn’t understand. However, no woman would ever be interested in him now, and he needs to protect himself from another heartbreak. But is this even possible where Aileas is concerned?

I'm excited to welcome a new producer for this audible. Douglas Birk is an experienced narrator with nearly 45 published Audible titles. I was impressed with his energetic, versatile voice that moves between the different characters with ease. Beyond just reading the script, he breathes life into each line, telling the story in his distinctive style that draws the listener in. Check out Mountain Storms and his narration for yourself:

All three versions: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R9X3PT1

Just audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mountain-Storms-Audiobook/B0828913WW?qid=1575407993

________________________________________

The History of the Potbelly Stove

The potbelly stove has had a long history of heating American homes and buildings. It reached its height of popularity in the 1800s, but stoves had been in use much earlier. Benjamin Franklin invented a stove in 1742, and the Franklin stove became popular, too. 

The cast-iron potbelly, named because it resembled a fat man's torso, was used well into the 1900s. It has no known inventor, but there are advertisements for its sale in the early 1800s. However, no patent was filed for it until much later. Some of the ads even said it could double as a cookstove when needed.

The potbelly became common, not only in some homes, but also in stores and public buildings, like train stations and schools.
It's amazing that the one stove managed to keep a large room warm, but it did. Sometimes the cast iron would glow red from the intense heat. In classrooms, it was part of the teacher's job to keep the fire going. My, how times have changed!

______________________________________