Happy Friday
This week our family did something for the first time. We rang the bells for the Salvation Army.
We worked the 6pm to 8pm shift at one of our local grocery stores.
It was a cold night, but we were lucky to be inside the entry way.
Atticus was my buddy.
We enjoyed visiting with the folks coming in and out of the store.
One fella gave us each a fresh cookie he just purchased.
The Story of the Red Kettle at Christmas
In 1891, Captain Joseph McFee of The Salvation Army decided to serve a free Christmas dinner to the poor living in San Francisco, California. He wondered how he could possibly afford to pay for all the food that would be needed for such a large project.
He prayed and thought back to his days on the waterfront in Liverpool, England where a popular local eatery collected cash donations for the poor in a large soup kettle called "Simpson's Pot".
Captain McFee wasted no time in getting the largest soup kettle he could find and placing it in a conspicuous spot on the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Passengers going to and from the ferry boats tossed their loose change into the kettle and before long Captain McFee had enough funds to pay for Christmas dinner!
Thus began a Christmas tradition which has spread throughout the world and continues to this day in communities just like this one!
How about you? Have you done something new this Christmas season?
He prayed and thought back to his days on the waterfront in Liverpool, England where a popular local eatery collected cash donations for the poor in a large soup kettle called "Simpson's Pot".
Captain McFee wasted no time in getting the largest soup kettle he could find and placing it in a conspicuous spot on the Oakland Ferry Landing at the foot of Market Street. Passengers going to and from the ferry boats tossed their loose change into the kettle and before long Captain McFee had enough funds to pay for Christmas dinner!
Thus began a Christmas tradition which has spread throughout the world and continues to this day in communities just like this one!
How about you? Have you done something new this Christmas season?
What a wonderful thing to be a part of! Blessings, Susie
ReplyDeleteThat's great that you guys volunteered! I rang the bell when I was in high school, but haven't done it since. I like seeing the bell ringers because they are so nice and always greet me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to spend time as a family, make some memories and feel as if you are giving at a time of year that is often about receiving.
ReplyDeleteHow fun for a family to do something like that together, I'm sure you all felt wonderful at the end of the evening. That is a very smart thing to do with kids, it may help them understand how blessed they are to have meals on their table all of the time.
ReplyDeleteWe served at a food bank for a couple of years twice a month, it was a good feeling.
Good for you!!! What a wonderful thing to do with your family. And I loved the Red Kettle story~ hadn't heard it in years!
ReplyDeleteGreat story that I haven't heard before. So awesome of you guys to do that!!
ReplyDeleteSo interesting to learn the story behind the kettle... thank you! I think it is great that your family participated in this. I haven't done anything new this year..... Not yet, anyway!
ReplyDeleteI had never heard that story, Carla. Thanks! Love the photo of Atticus. :-) What we did different this year was to scrap the 'presents for everyone' and instead, give to Samaritan's Purse in their names. I doubt we'll ever go back to the other. The stress of shopping is gone and we all have so much anyway, while so many have nothing.
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