Christmas Eve Service At The First Baptist Church Of
Northwood
Christmas Eve Service will be held December 24 at 6:30 p.m. at the
First Baptist Church of Northwood. All are welcome to attend our
celebration of the Advent Season. Parking is available behind the
church, entering from Route 202 or Hannaford’s Parking Lot.
A Christmas Story
By
Arthur Slade Northwood, NH
As a
child, my father’s business travels would cause him to be on the
road for Christmas, and to be together, the family would travel with
him. A frequent Christmas eve activity I developed was to read the
Bible and Christmas stories, with the Christmas lights of churches
and towns serving as my special Christmas tree. I really enjoyed the
activity but was also content when we were able to spend Christmas
at home as dad loved to decorate the house and believed as the
lights we had seen proved the need to show colorful lights so town
and travelers might enjoy them.
Therefore, roughly 20 years ago, I startled my family by
deciding I would go out and deliver a Christmas gift to a house
located near Smoke Street in Nottingham. I had been out earlier and
was stunned that the crisp cold air did not bother my breathing
condition and the stars looked bright against the jet black sky and
seemed to twinkle, giving a glorious light show. After discussion,
it was decided that as the road was in great condition and with
little traffic it would be best to go now as a storm front was
expected in the area later.
I
drove down the main highway and sort of noticed something along the
side of the road. As I turned down Smoke Street, I stopped at my
friend’s home and dropped off the gift and talked a while with them
and reviewed their holiday plans. As I started up the three lane
road beyond the high tension lines I noted something strange. A
group of people walking in the breakdown lane. I passed them then
went up the road and stopped turning around. Little did I know I was
about to break my iron clad rule of no hitchhikers. (What good after
all are iron clad rules if you cannot bend them.) In speaking with
the father I learned that his car had broken down and both had been
laid off from their jobs . So his wife and he and a young baby in
arms plus his young son were trying to walk to the wife’s sister’s
home in Northwood near an inn that he thought was not very far. I
was baffled. An inn? What could be an inn? But the wife tried to
describe it and it sure did not fit either the former Harvey Lake
Inn or the ma-Ru cabin main house. I said come on in and we will try
to find it. The little boy was so very cold he was shaking and I
turned the heat on high . His shivering stopped and he became
happier when he saw the Christmas tree at East Northwood, then
lights on a house gave him joy, a large Christmas tree at Northwood
Ridge brought happy chuckles, while the tree at Northwood Center
enchanted him. Meanwhile we were checking on buildings wondering if
the Northwood Lodge antique might have been mistaken for an Inn, but
no luck. We saw a sign for Lake Shore Farm, but that did not stir
any memory. I decided we best check as that was the most likely
place. When we saw the sign off Pittsfield Road the name did not
seem right to her but the small engine repair sign sounded correct.
So we went down to the Inn. As it came into view the wife let out a
happy “That is it, it is it!! We found it.” so we went down past it
and counted the number of roads from it and turned where she
suggested. We drove a good distance down the side road and she
started worrying again as we had gone further than she expected. We
then went up a rise and found her sister’s house blazing with many
strings of Christmas lights to welcome the arrivals. Her sister came
dashing out the door, and words were said rapidly as they learned
why the family was so late. Her sister lingered behind and asked if
she could offer me money for the ride. I refused and said “It is not
often a person can help out a family like this on Christmas Eve.” I
know I just imagined it but I would swear that one star just above
the house seemed to be burning brighter over the house. I have often
thought I had the privilege of rescuing a modern substitute for the
holy family of Joseph, Mary, James and Jesus. I never knew the
family’s name, nor did they know mine. That is what made it the
perfect Christmas gift for all.
Northwood Recreation Update
The
Northwood Recreation Department is offering Tai Chi classes. Move
toward greater balance, concentration and relaxation, no matter what
your age. The class is held by a certified instructor and can be
reimbursed by some insurance plans. This class will be held at the
Community Hall from 6:30-7:30 PM. The Community Hall is located at
135 Main St, on the corner of School St. and Main St. Register by
January 8th. Class begins January 13th. The cost for the 6 week
class is $50. Registration forms for all programs can be printed
from the website, www. northwoodnh.org and returned to the
Northwood Town Hall.
For
more information, please contact the Recreation Department at
[email protected] or 942-5586 x209.
NALMC News
Please
join us at the first meeting of NALMC’s Forestry & Habitat
Subcommittee on Wed., January 6 from 1-3 pm at the Northwood Town
Hall. We will be starting a conversation on how to coordinate
forestry and habitat management planning “across our stone walls.”
Steve Roy, Northwood Conservation Commission, and Jim Oehler of NH
Fish & Game Department will be co-chairing this subcommittee.
There are many good reasons for working together on this issue. No
one property in the NALMC area can provide the resources needed to
conserve the majority of wildlife species found in our region. We
can be more successful at conserving local populations in the long
term if we work together. There are unique habitats and natural
communities that cross property boundaries that would benefit from
better coordination. There are economies of scale that could be
reaped when planning forestry operations, especially where small
properties are concerned.
The
concept of neighbors working with neighbors to coordinate forestry
and habitat management is a pretty new concept. There are a few
examples of forestry cooperatives in the US and many others in
Canada and Europe, but these are primarily based on an economic
model. There are few examples of neighbors working with neighbors
solely for the good of the resource. We will have to feel our way
through this one a bit. Our meeting will start the process.
Information about the NALMC Ecological Assessment that recommends
forestry and habitat collaboration can be found at
http://www.nalmc.net/Projects.php
For
questions about the subcommittee meeting, please contact Jim Oehler
at 271-0453 or
[email protected]
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