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Peace on Earth

Album: Gold Audio 03: Heroes

Episode: 54

Lesson/Theme: The peace of God; the reason for the season.

Bible Verse: Luke 2:1-21;John 14:27; Philippians 4:7

Characters: Donna, George, Jimmy, Mary, Connie, Eugene, Whit, Tom

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Dave Arnold

Original Air Date: December 24, 1988

Last Air Date: December 2, 2008

Description:
It's the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and Whit's End is bustling with customers. Connie, Eugene, and especially Whit are rushing around frantically. He has packages left to wrap, phone calls to family members to make, church programs to participate in, and the Barclay family to visit. Tom comes in and literally makes Whit slow down. The customers slowly dissipate, and Whit and Tom enjoy the splendor and quiet of freshly fallen snow on Odyssey. After the church services that evening, Whit and Eugene visit with the Barclay family. George boasts of the wonderful Christmas they've prepared for the kids that year, while Jimmy obsesses over his presents. Whit tries to remind them of the reason for the season, just as he was reminded earlier by Tom. George assures Whit that they always take a few moments during the day to read the Christmas story. Then Mary brings in hot chocolate, mugs are lifted, and good wishes are shared by all. The next morning, George and Mary are awakened by Jimmy and Donna, who want to get downstairs and open some presents. The family rises and goes downstairs-only to find an empty living room! They've been robbed-cleaned out completely! The thieves even took their Christmas dinner. The family is filled with gloom and doom until George reminds them that God kept them safe through the ordeal. They still have each other. The family decides to make the best of this bad situation, and George pulls out his Bible. He starts to read the Christmas story.

Questions:
Why did Tom want Whit to slow down? Why was Connie so eager to celebrate Christmas? How does your family celebrate Christmas?