Mistletoe Courtship (25 page)

Dear Reader,

The working title of
The Christmas Secret
was
Long-Expected Love,
which came from an old Christmas hymn “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus.” I still can't think of this story without humming that melody in my head and repeating those comforting words—
“From our fears and sins release us; let us find our rest in Thee…”
That's what music, especially Christmas music, does to me, sticking like colorful Post-its in my mind and heart. I love the reverence of all the ancient hymns, the soaring magnificence of Handel's
Messiah,
the irrepressible fun of Frosty and Rudolph (except when the tunes are blared over store speakers in September), the sing-along nostalgia of
White Christmas
—so the very day after Thanksgiving our home is filled with the music of Christmas.

However, like Ethan and Clara in the late nineteenth century, our family has also struggled through difficult holidays, where our twenty-first-century radios and CDs remained silent because our hearts were grieving, and joyful holiday music only drove the pain deeper. Life during the dark times of the soul is somehow harder to bear in the Christmas season. Yet God steadfastly reaches out until He captures your attention. Through that mysterious process called faith, He can heal the soul and lift the heart. For me, most often His Voice speaks through the music. That's why
The Christmas Secret
is filled with references to Christmas carols. My heartfelt hope for each of you who reads this story is that you may experience an hour or two of lightness, that one of the carols mentioned rings a chord within and allows you to look up—and hear the heavenly choir proclaiming joy to the world.

Regardless of circumstance, may your hearts this Christmas sing with joy,

1. Though they love her, Clara Penrose's family consider her an oddity, and they don't understand her. Why do they feel this way about Clara? What does Clara do or not do that perpetuates this view?
   
2. Ethan's reaction to human betrayal is to turn his back on God as well as his country and his calling. What significant event occurred to change his mind?
   
3. Both Clara and Ethan try to “prove” their faith through good works, and discover that merely doing good is not enough to enjoy lasting peace with God. What problems do Christians with this perspective encounter? In your life how do you reconcile this issue?
   
4. Clara's pet cat NimNuan plays a significant role in her life. How do pets influence our lives? Do you believe God can speak to us through animals?
   
5. The minister of Clara's church challenges the congregation to leave symbols of their burdens at the altar, in the manger. What message was he trying to convey? What symbolizes a burden in your life that may have robbed you of the joy of Christmas?
   
6. Like Christmas itself,
   The Christmas Secret
   is full of symbols. How many did you discover when reading the story? What did they represent?
   
7. Throughout the story Clara and Ethan create Christmas memories they can cherish the rest of their lives. Which
   scenes did you find the most “memorable”? What Christmas memories of your own do you hold most dear?
   
8. Ethan tells someone “…it's long past time to quit toting the coffins of our respective spouses on our backs.” What does he mean? Did you think this was an accurate metaphor to describe their circumstances?