Tuesday, December 19, 2017

It's a Wonderful Life



There is nothing like an old movie to teach a lesson. . .or several lessons. . .about LIFE. . .and to touch the heartstrings at the same time. . .The title alone of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE brings to mind the many BLESSINGS  we often forget. . .of the positives in our lives. . .


The story actually began as a CHRISTMAS CARD. . .Philip Von Doren Stern decided to write the HOLIDAY TALE as a gift to friends and family. . .Entitled THE GREATEST GIFT, Stern printed 200 copies of his short story, making it a rather thick 21-page card. . .One of the producers at RKO Pictures. . .Frank Capra. . .scurried to obtain the movie rights, paying $10,000 for the CHRISTMAS tale in 1943. He told Stern that it was a story he had spent a lifetime to find. . .In 1946, the movie was released. . .becoming an icon of all that is good even when things go wrong. . .








'Every time a BELL rings, an ANGEL gets his wings. . .'
That sentence is famous and so often quoted. . .Even as a child, I knew that when I heard a bell ring, there was another ANGEL in Heaven. . .I just about drove my Mom crazy one year. . .I took those words to heart, roaming around the house, ringing a SMALL BELL that Mom had placed on the mantle. . .I must have helped hundreds of ANGELS that year. . .before she hid the bell. . .


As much as I love Angels. . .I think the bigger story is all about a STAR. . .and that Star is You. . .and me. . .
One of the most precious gifts I received from my Dad was given to me one day. . .'just because'. . . It was a small card of handmade SILVER EARRINGS. . .a SMALL STAR at the top and a LARGER STAR dangling from it. . .Signed by the artist, Daddy bought  them on one of his trips West. . .The expense was minimal but what he wrote on the card was PRICELESS. . .It read: ' You are MY SHINING STAR.'. .with the last three words in big letters and underlined. . .Need I tell you how precious those five words were to me--and still are? . .That one little gesture of LOVE for me. . .and FAITH in me. . .has remained in my mind through many hard times. . .It wasn't some expensive tech item. . .It was something from his HEART. . .Just five little words. . .


 "Each man's life touches so many other lives, and when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?" says the angel Clarence to George Bailey.
The point is, we have no idea how significantly our lives affect others. . .and that no matter how menial our life might seem. . .we are still SHINING STARS. . .One of the obvious lessons of It's a Wonderful Life is that, without George around, so many things would have been different. . .It is the same truth 74 years later. 


And so my friends. . .for this Christmas, I'd like to thank your for being our STARS. . .for following THE COUNTRY FARM HOME, DUNCAN FARMSTEAD, and OUR OLD COUNTRY STORE. . . encouraging us to move onward. . .It's because of you that so many BLESSINGS and HONORS have come to us. . .You have shined so BRIGHTLY  in both our lives. . .


We're both wishing you a TRULY WONDERFUL and AMAZING CHRISTMAS. . .and that the NEW YEAR will bring ABUNDANT BLESSINGS your way.




Well folks. . .
'THAT'S A WRAP'. . .
(I've always wanted to say that). . .
We'll be visiting with you again in 2018. . .I have some EXCITING NEWS. . .and of course, we'll be sharing more of our own WONDERFUL LIFE here at THE FARM. . .


Don't miss it. . .at DUNCAN FARMSTEAD





4 comments:

Heide at ApronHistory said...

Merry Christmas Dru! And a very Happy New Year!
"It's a Wonderful Life" is one of my favorite old Christmas movies. I didn't know the story behind the story. Fascinating!

R's Rue said...

Beautiful.

Becky said...

Beautiful post. Thank you. That movie has always been one of my favorites. Merry Christmas to you.

Anne's Attic - Design said...

So charming and warm. Merry Christmas!

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