James Calvin Schaap Startling Joy

Startling Joy

James Calvin Schaap

Revell, Sep 2005, $14.99

ISBN: 0800718771

"Mystery". The professor is an academia sophisticate while the bus driver is obese working crass. He is polite, but scornful as she relates her tale of marriage means abuse until he realizes in her clumsy way she has told him the STARTLING JOY of Christmas.

"The Baby". Eighth grader Gina plays Mary at the school show, but director Nelvie forgot to bring the "baby Jesus"; Gina finds the right "old doll".

""The Party". Verona's son sired a child with Kelly, but refused to marry her. Kelly married someone else who adopted Mandy as his. However, Verona wants to be part of Mandy's life, but cannot until Kelly's mom gives the sad secret grandma a special Yuletide present.

"The Gifts". Julia is downhearted that her fifteen-year-old daughter is pregnant and wants to raise the child while she prefers the baby be given up for adoption. While waiting for her daughter at the airport, Julia sees God's miracles.

"The Church". Mom wants her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren to attend church, but they insist they have not found any. She comes from Iowa to Seattle to help them understand there is more to life than work.

"The Pageant". Kathy insists that too much sentimentality spoils the true meaning of Christmas so there are no kids acting as singing animals in the manger. Thirteen years old Angela challenges the adult insisting that is part of celebrating.

"The Afterglow". The day after Christmas humanity returns to normal ignoring places like the Bethany House orphanage. Aunt Mary is dispirited when little Laney says her father is near, but will never visit the orphanage. She must find her post Christmas spirit to insure Laney and the others can rejoice in love not rejection.

"The Snowfall". The theater professor is upset that the girls disrupted the performance, but afterward a retired missionary thanks him for a refreshing show that leads him to an epiphany about Luke.

These are flawed selfish people who in small ways learn the true meaning of Christmas without any divine miracle; James Calvin Schaap encourages his audience to find their own little miracle in everyday life.

Harriet Klausner