On the 11th Day of Christmas Past Re-cast…
Question: Today’s “Light the World” is to share as Jesus did. How did the sisters of Orderville share treats with every child in their town?
To be entered into today’s daily giveaway & FREE tour drawing- Read the story below; “Comment” & “Share” your answer on Facebook or our blog. Click Here for contest rules.
“One December evening some of the sisters of Orderville, UT met to plan a Christmas treat for the children. The Order had no luxuries and the necessities were strictly rationed. About the only sweets the people had was molasses, so, the sisters decided to make molasses candy and cookies for the youngsters.
But on Christmas Eve, they came to “Grandmother Spencer,” wife of Howard Orson Spencer, bishop and leader in Orderville, with the news that the brother in charge of the molasses “won’t let us have any. He says our allowance for the month is already used.” Grandmother’s lips tightened. “The children are going to have something for Christmas. I’ll speak to my husband after dinner – he’ll give us permission.”
When her husband came in tired and hungry, Sister Spencer hovered over her husband and after dinner urged him to rest by the fire. As he sat looking drowsily into the flames, she said in a low voice, “You do think the children should have some candy and cookies for Christmas, don’t you Howard?” “Ummmmhmmm,” was the sleepy response, and grandmother went away smiling. She reported to the ladies that everything was all right, “My husband has given us permission.” “Did he say we could have the molasses?” asked one doubting Thomas. “He didn’t say ‘No’” replied Sister Spencer truthfully. “Now we won’t wake up the brother in charge of the molasses. We’ll just slip out and take what we need.”
The man in charge of the molasses barrel was very conscious of his responsibility. On the lid of the barrel he had placed a section of heavy logging chain and a large boulder. Only a thin wooden partition at the head of the bed separated him from the barrel outside, and he was a light sleeper. Shivering from the cold the women crunched through the snow toward the barrel. It was beginning to snow again and the night was very dark.
With infinite caution they removed the heavy chain without so much as one betraying clank. It took the combined efforts of all the women to lower the boulder noiselessly to the ground. There was a breathless pause as Sister Spencer raised the lid and dipped into the barrel with a saucepan. She emptied its contents into a bucket and dipped again, and again. “We have enough now,” whispered one of the women. “Let’s go back.” With the same caution the chain and boulder were replaced and the women filed back to the warm kitchen to make the Christmas goodies. But, there was a dismayed gasp when they looked into the pail. “Oh dear, we haven’t enough molasses. We’ll have to get some more.” “Oh no, Sister Spencer. It’s cold and dark. It’s too risky.” “Well, just the same, we must unless we want the children to be disappointed.”
There could only be one answer to such a statement and the little band of mothers went again to the molasses barrel. They returned safely and set to work. When morning came, every child in Orderville had two molasses cookies and one big slightly sticky lump of candy in his stocking. Santa Claus had not forgotten them. Bishop insisted all his life that he could not remember ever having given the women permission to get the molasses.
Taken from: Susan Madsen, Christmas A Joyful Heritage, p. 10-12
The brave, resourceful, and kind women of Orderville cleverly got “permission” to use the communal molasses and make treats for all of the children.
The sisters of Orderville found a creative way to get around a problem. As a wise special education teacher told my son – solve problems with ideas.
This story shows the resourcefulness and determination of women with a purpose. They took the lack is “no” answer to be a yes,sneaked into the storehouse and got the molasses they needed to make cookies and candy for the children.
Such a cute story! The last sentence made me chuckle. These sweet sisters took the lack of an answer of “no” to mean “yes” and quietly snuck into the molasses barrel twice to get enough of the syrup to make a couple cookies and lump of candy for each child in the town.
The bishop’s wife asked her exhausted husband for permission to get molasses. Then the sisters made molasses cookies so each child could have 2 cookies and a lump of candy on Christmas Day.
The women of Orderville cleverly asked for permission for the molasses so every child could get a treat from Santa….
They went and got molasses from the storage barrel and made molasses cookies and candy.
They used their women’s intuition to get the molasses for the treats for the kiddos!
They were determined that the children would have a treat for Christmas. They didn’t give up & when they were told they had already used up the quota, they went to the Bishop’s wife. She asked her husband if the children should have a Christmas treat while he was falling asleep. She helped the sisters to get what they needed so there would be treats in the morning.
Women are blessed from on high when their purposes are or good. They made cookies and candy for the children of Orderville, despite not having actual permission. Where there’s a will, there’s way!
The sisters of Orderville used a little womanly persuasion and just a little trickery to get the needed molasses to make cookies and candy for every child for Christmas.
The sisters received permission from a tired husband. They then carefully removed security precautions from the molasses container and took what was needed for their candy making.
These determined women went to Grandma Spencer for help to get the molasses they needed to provide a sweet treat for the children of the town. The Bishop didn’t say “no” and Sister Spencer led the women to the barrel twice to get the needed molasses. Where there is a will, there is a way.
These ladies were resourceful as they “got permission” from the very tired bishop and then went to work securing the molasses they needed to make cookies and candy for all the children. They even had to deal with the barrel security twice to get it. Good for them to give joy to the children.
The women of Orderville worked through the night to be sure each child had the miracle of Christmas on Christmas morning.