Christmas at Woodlet Cove

By Donna Schambach

Everything about the Christmas season points to a change in the status quo, a divine interruption of our mundane worlds.

Whether it is the chill of the December air--

the cheerful, colors of our seasonal decorations--

the shopping--

the parties--

the special foods--

All capture us with special, inexplicable feelings of childlikeness and joy.

But for someone whose life has been shattered into a million pieces, Christmas can be a painful time of remembering. Emotions can begin to surface in these hearts that can cause them to spiral into depression and darkness.

That is why at Christmas, we must look past the superficial trappings of the holiday and study the true story of Christ-mas.

We all need the story God sent the angels to sing:

There is light in the darkness!

There is peace on earth!

Goodwill toward all people!

Upon those sitting in darkness, the True Light has shined!

Joy to the world--the Lord has come!

If you or someone you know needs a fresh reminder of those simple truths that set the captive free, follow the story of Gloria and Zach, Jeanne and Jim, as they witness in a myriad of ways the true miracle of Christmas!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Oct 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798887514383

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Christmas at Woodlet Cove

Donna Schambach

ISBN 979-8-88751-437-6 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88751-438-3 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Donna Schambach

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All proceeds go directly to the ongoing mission of winning Hearts to Jesus, one life at a time.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Dedication

Chapter 1

The Advent

Chapter 2

The Swaddling Cloth

Chapter 3

The Merry Wreaths

Chapter 4

The Glowing Lights

Chapter 5

The Christmas Tree

Chapter 6

The Carol

Chapter 7

The Nativity

Chapter 8

King Herod

Chapter 9

Emmanuel

Chapter 10

The Star

Chapter 11

The Presents

Chapter 12

The Revelation

Chapter 13

Christmas Day!

Epilogue

About the Author

Dedication

What a joy and thrill it was for me to allow this short tale to take shape over the past months! Being my first fiction novel, I was utterly amazed at how I fell in love with the characters who unfolded before my eyes as I wrote.

I take no credit. As a lover of the precious Holy Spirit, I recognize His work of inspiring and assisting to communicate the important truths of this story. If anyone enjoys the work—should anyone be touched by its words, I can only credit Him with all power and ability to do so.

And while the story and most of the main characters are completely fiction, the setting and the couple, Jeanne and Jim, and their son Daniel and his family are very real. Of course, they have fictitious names in this tale, but the lodge is real, and the precious, loving, godly people are as real as true gold. I had the privilege of staying in their home for a short while. Daniel had invited me to minister at his church. In that short time of ministry and relaxation, I was deeply impressed by the life in the love of this family. It was healing, restoring, and so much like the love of the Father.

So I dedicate this small offering to them. As they touched me so deeply, may the Holy Spirit also touch you. May He raise up a thousand other healing homes like theirs to comfort the hurting and restore them to the life and purpose for which the Father created them.

Thank you, Betty, Gene, Nathan, and Danielle—pastors all. Your family is truly touching a desperately hurting world. Whether or not your names are remembered by the masses, your lives will definitely be remembered. The way you flesh out Jesus in your everyday world will be remembered. And as for your impact on me—you are all indelibly imprinted on my heart.

Chapter 1

The Advent

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.

—Hamilton Write Mabie

It was raining again. Gloria rolled over in the back seat of her 1985 Corolla hatchback, thankful for the dark clouds and the sheets of rain pummeling the roof of her trusted little blue car. She was cold, tired, and hungry, hoping the pounding of the rain and quiet of the streets would lull her into a deep sleep, deafening her to the groans echoing from her stomach and to the chidings of her restless conscience.

Gloria was more alone than she had ever been in her life, and that's just the way she wanted it—or so she had thought. Now, two thousand one hundred miles and forty hours from her hometown, she was forced to live with the consequences of all her rotten decisions. She wasn't so sure now just how much she wanted to be totally alone, but she thought this little fishing village along the Puget Sound was friendly enough and prettier to look at than the streets of Oak Cliff. It would provide some temporary cover.

After all the abuse, jail time, and many twists and turns that had driven her to the shores of Windermere Island, she had arrived with no fanfare at the tiny coastal town of Woodlet Cove, just as they were readying for the Christmas season.

It was one of the many tiny communities dotting the Eastern bank of the Puget Sound. As many of the waterside villages in Washington State, it sat quietly with the friendly charm of a town that welcomed visitors and vacationers, nestled in a picturesque setting of glistening waters and stately evergreen trees.

Gloria wanted to get out and explore the town to see if there might be any hope of finding a job; but for now, she had hidden her little blue Corolla in the fourth parking space from the street, hoping to remain unnoticed until she checked things out. Gloria was painfully aware she was in a strange town with no money and no one who cared if she drew another breath.

It was chillier than she would have liked, but not quite freezing. She could get by without a coat for now, but not for long. Just for tonight, she would enjoy the sanctuary of her humble car under the ragged blanket she clutched.

Tomorrow she would canvass this quaint little town. Tomorrow she would look for a job—hopefully a restaurant job—where she might have one meal a day and make enough money to buy gas for the car.

For now, her first night at the cove, she would have to put up with the car seat that seemed angry at her. No matter which direction she laid her head, a protruding coil from the seat would poke her in a rib or the top of her calf. Tossing, turning, and shivering, Gloria realized there would be precious little sleep that night. All she could do was listen to the occasional squawks of the hovering gulls and pray for dawn.

* * * * *

I'm headed down to the Big Skipper, she heard someone shout across the docks. Friday is their pancake special!

Friday? Gloria felt a slight pang of desperation. How had she miscalculated her days so badly? How long had she been sleeping? Gloria sat up quickly and leaped out of the back seat of the car, suddenly confronted with a bracing wind. She ran toward a little restaurant at the dock, but it was closed. Thankfully, she spotted a restroom outside on the portico, and she darted in to get herself ready for a day of job hunting.

The Big Skipper, Gloria thought as she spruced up her hair and reapplied her lipstick. Maybe the Skipper will be big enough to hire me.

Just before she emerged from the restroom, she checked her wallet. All she could find was a five, nine single bills, and about seventy-two cents. Maybe she could afford a pancake and a cup of coffee. Gloria needed that job quickly.

Most of the handful of people out and about this Friday morning were down at the end of a long narrow street, so Gloria followed her instincts and the edge of the Sound to the busiest part of the street. About six or seven blocks into her brisk walk, her eyes fell on the very old, very rustic-looking Big Skipper.

Gloria took a deep breath and opened the flimsy, rusted screen door that creaked as it opened. Behind it was a heavier wooden door, propped open as if to invite pancake-seekers to come in and grab a seat.

Immediately she was greeted with the smell of maple syrup and homemade pancakes. She could smell the grease from the griddle and feel the warmth of the steam rising from it. Just on cue, the rumbling in her stomach became loud and obnoxious, and two men at the counter raised eyebrows as they subtly looked her way with amusement.

Her cheeks flushed as she slid into an empty booth toward the back of the modest little cafe. A cup of hot coffee was thrown her way and a one-page menu shoved in her face.

Do you need a few minutes? a sleepy waitress offered.

Gloria nodded sheepishly, searching for the list of sides first. She noticed a one egg, bacon, and pancake special. It came with coffee for $3.99 that day. She would have enough left over to tip the waitress and still have a few bucks in her pocket.

After placing her order, she asked the waitress, Is the owner of the restaurant in today?

The waitress took a long suspicious look at her customer and said, I'll see if he's available, honey.

Gloria looked up at her surroundings while she waited. Seated directly across from her in the facing booth was an old man who looked as if he could have once lived in England. He was all dressed up with a navy corduroy jacket and a small woolen cap. His hands grasped a steaming cup of tea, and he was blowing over the top of it, preparing to warm himself with a sip. Instinctively, he looked up to see who was studying him, and he returned Gloria's stare with the kindest smile.

Gloria smiled quickly and looked away.

Are you looking for me, miss? I am the owner.

Standing over her was a partially toothless man who was breathing heavy and seemed quite impatient.

Yes, sir. May I have a word with you in private?

The man sat down in the booth across the table from Gloria.

You have three minutes, he barked.

Well, sir, Gloria began. "I am looking for a job. I just moved into town and I can work as many hours as you will give me. I've waited tables, worked cash