Margie Redford has played a major role in creating Standard Publishing children’s curriculum for more than 25 years. Today she shares the source of some of her creativity.
By Margie Redford
My mom loved Christmas and she found ways to make every Christmas special for my brother, two sisters, and me. Mom’s memory makers didn’t stop when we left home for college and careers. In fact, Mom came up with a new Christmas tradition—family Christmas programs. No, these weren’t amateur stage plays or mini musicals. They were printed program booklets!
I’m not exactly sure when Mom started creating the programs. The earliest one I have is from 1986. My husband, Doug, and I had been married for 10 years. Doug was the minister at a church in Plymouth, Ind. By that time, we had three young children, Jessica (age 6), Jon (age 4), and Tim (1 month). Being in the ministry, we didn’t travel to my home in Northeast Ohio every year for Christmas. But in 1986, we made the trip.
When our family (including my two grandmothers, siblings and their spouses, and seven grandchildren) gathered at the table for our Christmas dinner, there they were—the Christmas programs. There was one at each place setting, laying atop Mom’s crystal Fostoria plates. The front and back covers (cut from red construction paper) were in the shape of a bell. The inside pages (also cut into bell shapes) included a short letter from Dad and Mom, Scripture passages from Matthew and Luke, lyrics of two carols, and a poem. On the front cover was a copied photo of our homestead.
I’m sure we probably read the Scripture passages and sang the carols as a family. But it was the letter that meant so much to us. Here is some of what Dad and Mom wrote that year:
This is a wonderful Christmas. To have you all home is a true blessing. . . . We thank God that each of you has chosen to establish a fine Christian home. . . . To our grandchildren, may we say, “Please stay true to your Lord always.”
Christmases that followed (on years when we all came “home”), brought more family programs. The shapes changed: trees, gift boxes, wreaths, a house. Different Scriptures, carols, poems, and even the food menu were included. But one thing didn’t change—there was always a thought-provoking letter from Dad and Mom.
The letter in the 1992 tree-shaped program read in part:
Generations of Christians have come down through our family tree. . . . We thank God for beautiful Christian children, including all who have joined us through marriage. We will continue to pray for each of our grandchildren to grow strong in the faith and to produce more good fruit.
In 1996 (in another tree-shaped program) the note included:
Greet each morning with this prayer: “Lord, what are You and I going to do together today? I’m reporting for duty.” You’ll never be bored!
Thank you, Dad and Mom, for our family Christmas programs. Your words are still encouraging us (and others) this Christmas.
Margie Redford lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is a children’s curriculum editor for Standard Publishing (part of the David C Cook family). Margie loves decorating the house and baking Christmas cookies for her husband, Doug, three children and spouses, and five grandchildren.
Margie’s grandmother’s prayers have been answered. Her granddaughter is living out her grandmother’s call and leads so many in service for His Kingdom at Mountain Mission School in Grundy, Virginia. God is good.