Bonus Content
Christmas Treasures
Was he really going to tell these good people that he wanted to stop being their minister?
As he took a seat in his wingback armchair and the others settled on the couch and other comfortable spots around the room, Ben struggled to rekindle the surety and resolve he felt about his decision only hours ago.
He took a deep breath and exhaled, silently reviewing his talking points in his head.
“Thank you all for coming out on such a cold night,” he began. “I’m sure you must be wondering why I’ve called this meeting. I’ve only told you that it has to do with church business, and I’m sure you assumed I meant running the church in my absence.
“It does have to do with that. During the past two weeks, I’ve been forced to slow down and cease all productive activity. Which, as you all know, is probably a first for me,” he added, drawing a laugh. “I’ve had time to think. To see the big picture,” he clarified. He paused again and took a steadying breath. “I believe that it’s time for me retire.”
He didn’t mean for his voice to sound anything less than resolute, but he knew that there had been a slight tremor in his words. He looked around, gauging the reactions.
Shock and surprise registered on practically all the faces. A few people looked as if they had guessed what he would say but were not happy to have their intuition confirmed.
Lillian Warwick looked as if she had just bitten into a lemon. Then again, she often looked like that.
She was the first to speak. “I expected as much. After your heart attack, I’m only surprised it didn’t come sooner.”
Before Ben could react, Lillian’s daughter Emily leaned forward in her chair. “I suppose we all wondered if you were considering retirement now,” Emily said, her tone far more concilliatory than her mother’s. “I, for one, did hope that even if you considered it, you would decide not to retire, Reverend Ben. Or at least put off any final decision until you recovered.”
As usual, Emily was putting forth her suggestion in a diplomatic way. She was after all, the town’s mayor and well-versed in political negotiations. But Ben knew his position was not negotiable.
“I did consider waiting, Emily. But I feel very certain this is the right thing to do. I don’t believe that a few weeks will make any difference at all. I could have held back from announcing it, but I felt you all had a right to know, to go forward and make your plans.
“Find a new minister, that’s what you mean,” Grace Hegmen piped up in her abrupt way. “We’ll never find a minister like you, Reverend Ben. How can we ever replace you?”
Reprinted from CHRISTMAS TREASURES by Thomas Kinkade and Katherine
Spencer by arrangement with Berkley, a member of Penguin Group (USA),
Inc., (c) 2011 by Direct Brands
Christmas Treasures
In a town like Cape Light, there’s always room for an off-beat adventure or two. Or three. But whatever goes on in this delightful little town with a big heart, there’s always an entertaining story with important life lessons. In Christmas Treasures, award-winning painter Thomas Kinkade teams up once again with writer Katherine Spencer to bring us a touching Cape Light holiday tale of love and hope that will capture your heart.
Reverend Ben has been ignoring his health recently and it’s finally caught up with him—he’s developed a heart problem and requires bypass surgery. Since Ben will need at least six weeks’ recuperation and physical rehab, interim minister Isabel Lawrence is assigned to Cape Light’s congregation.
Is this health setback a sign from above that it’s time for Ben to move on to a new phase of his life? As Ben grows stronger and gets back to his old self, he starts to wonder if he’s really ready to celebrate his final Christmas as pastor of the church in Cape Light that has been his life’s work.
Christmas is, after all, a time for giving, but retiring and presenting Isabel with his much treasured job might be the biggest test of faith Ben has ever had to face.
Hardcover : 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley Pub Gp./Mbr of Penquin Putn ( November 01, 2011 )
Item #: 13-434163
ISBN: 9780425243565
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.25 x 0.687inches
Product Weight: 12.0 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Christmas Treasures 
February 05, 2012
This is an amazing book-makes you realize that no matter line of work you are in things can change-realize also that the Word of God is our final authority and know that His will be done on earth more than what we want to do-I have really enjoyed the Thomas Kinkade/ Elizabeth Spencer books-they are a great teaching tool for life experiences!!!
Reviewer: Mary
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