Beehive Bookstore's Christmas Jar Report

In the spirit of Jason Wright's bestselling Christmas Jars and Christmas Jars Reunion, we at Beehive Bookstore began our own Christmas Jar and invited our wonderful customers to contribute spare change if they desired. On December 21, 2009, we had collected over $85! We also had a drawing for anyone who would like to be the one to give the jar away anonymously to someone in need. The winner of that drawing graciously agreed to share her experience with us on the blog. She is not named and has omitted some details to keep the recipients anonymous. Here is her report:

Upon receiving the news that my name had been drawn and I had been presented with the unique opportunity to select someone to receive the Christmas Jar, I immediately began contemplating whom this jar would best serve during the holidays this year. I had this on my mind throughout the afternoon, but no one came to mind. I thought of calling the bishop of our ward as he would have greater insight than I as to who might most benefit from this blessing. I called him and he said that through the service of individuals in our ward most who were in need this season had already been taken care of, but he would give it some thought too. After finding out that most of our ward members had reached out to one another this holiday season, I started to think that I might be thinking too small and should maybe reach beyond just our ward. That evening I talked with my husband who came up with the idea to contact the bishop of a ward in our stake that has many struggling families. We called him that night and asked if anyone in his ward could use this great blessing, the Christmas Jar. He said that there were many in his ward who could use it and that he would love to take the jar and give it prayerful and thoughtful consideration before delivering the jar to the family he felt was most in need of this specific gift. A day later we received word from him that the jar went to a wonderful brother and sister who were in need of a little more so that he would be able to meet qualifications necessary so that he could go and serve the Lord. How great a blessing this jar was - not ONLY able to help a family in need, but that it will help others receive the gospel as this service became more attainable through the Christmas Jar. Thank you to all of those who generously gave this year! It was a joy to pick up and pass on!

Beehive Bookstore's Upgraded Website!

An upgrade to our website which has long been in the works is finally here! We apologize to any of you who have had problems with interrupted or very slow connections, the shopping cart or other problems. The new site has tested to be very stable and we are excited about the prospect of many improvements we will more easily be able to make in the future. We welcome any suggestions and feedback about what you would like to see us improve. Come try it out at www.beehivebookstore.com!

The Shepherd’s Song by Larry Barkdull

Review by Susan

The Shepherd's Song is a sweet Christmas tale of the a shepherd whose family cares for the lambs meant for holy sacrifices in the Temple in Jerusalem. When Joshua's wife is threatened with life-threatening complications of pregnancy, he takes his most-loved lamb to offer as a personal sacrifice at the temple to accompany his prayers for a miracle. The story of his journey, its unexpected detours and how he is brought to ultimately sacrifice his will and heart to the Lord is entwined with the story of the birth of Jesus which lightens the dark night of his despair. Prophecies of the coming of Messiah were understood by these shepherds who recognized the signficance of what they witnessed that holy night. Warning: be sure to have tissue ready when reading this book.

The Modern Magi by Carol Lynn Pearson

Review by Susan

Annabelle Perkins lives alone and works as a waitress. She has never married but grew up in a loving home filled with frequent tellings of the Christms story. At age 57 she dreams of traveling to Israel like the Magi and giving a gift to Jesus in Bethleham. She saves her money for months, working extra hours in spite of her health problems. Her anticipation continues to grow, but just as her dream is about to realized something unexpected brings an unwelcome decision. How Annabelle reconciles her dream to give the Christ child a gift with the unexpected twists of fate is an appealing story about the meaning being a Magi in the modern world. Master storyteller Carol Lynn Pearson spins another delightful tale.

Penny's Christmas Jars Miracle by Jason F. Wright Illustrated by Ben Sowards

Review by Susan

Penny's Christmas Jar Miracle tells of a young girl whose family takes turns deciding who will receive their annual Christmas Jar of spare change they collect all year long. It is Penny's turn to decide, and she wants to give the jar to the entire neighborhood by giving a special Christmas party. However, Mr. Charlie, a favorite older neighbor, becomes ill and will not be able to attend. How Penny changes her plans and involves the whole neighborhood is beautifully illustrated in this appealing children's book which is a worthy addition to the Christmas Jars library.

Christmas Jars Reunion by Jason Wright

Review by Susan

This is a sequel to Christmas Jars, the runaway bestseller of a few years ago. The story of Hope Jensen continues as she seeks to expand the Christmas Jar phenomenon which she begins to view as a ministry to share the spirit of giving engendered by this tradition. As the Christmas Jars tradition spreads over the country from Chuck's Chicken 'n' Biscuits diner, new characters and their stories are combined with elements of sorrow, romance, lives changed and a community brought together by a lofty goal. In the end, Hope learns about the true nature of the gift of love represented by a Christmas Jar from a very special little girl named Queen.

Christmas on Mill Street by Joseph Walker

Review by Susan

Amid the fears brought on by the Cuban missile crisis in the fall of 1962, Sam Andrews is a 10-year-old who has just moved to Utah from Arizona. He is the youngest of a large family and longs to fit in with his new friends. In a fit of bravado, he boasts that he will be able to sled down the infamous steep and dangerous curves of Mill Street. Unfortunately, he knows nothing about sleds and has never seen snow in person. His dilemma is combined with his uncertainty about the reality of Santa whom he is counting on to help in his quest. As he finally faces this challenge on Christmas Day, help comes from an unexpected source. It is evident that Sam and his family are LDS, but all description of his family's church activities are in generic terms so that the story is can be easily understood and enjoyed by those not familiar with LDS terms and practices.