Places helping with storm damage: Helping Hands & Deep River Farm Hurricane Relief: centralasheboro.org/events-opportunities/hurricane-relief/ Samaritan’s Purse: www.samaritanspurse.org/ NC Baptists: ncbaptist.org/hurricane-helene-response/ 8 Days of Hope: eightdaysofhope.com/ Cajun Navy Relief: www.cajunnavyrelief.com/ Please add any other organizations in the comments. Thank you!!
This story brought tears to my eyes. I can identify with the kids. We didn’t live in a coal camp but just about everyone was a tobacco farmer like Daddy was. I knew we were poor but so was everybody else. We lived on a narrow dirt road that dead-ended at the river. We had an outhouse, a smoke house, a corn crib, and a “dairy” for storing food. A lot of my clothes came from a second hand store except for what Mom made for me. What a time my cousins and I had!
When I was 15 or 16 years old, complaining about how much homework I had one evening, I remember my dad telling me, "Son, believe it or not, right now is one of best times of your life. All you have to worry about is getting schoolwork done." How right he was!
We lived in the Berwind, WV, coal camp in 1956-1957. My father pastored a church there. There was an alley between the houses on the paved road and our houses. The railroad tracks were up the embankment. I can still remember my mother running out to get the clothes off the line when the train was coming so they weren't dirtied again with the coal soot. We kids played in the coal bin on the ally and always needed a scrubbing in the 20-gallon tub. I once was dressed up to go somewhere and, instead of staying clean, ran around and fell. A small piece of black clinker got embedded in my side and was visible below the skin for decades. Our outhouse was one of the few that had a light in it. The switch was inside the house. Whenever we had company, my father liked to prank them by turning off the light while they were out there at night. He did it again when his cousin Roland was visiting and everyone had a good laugh when Roland came back in the house. But they had forgotten Roland was blind, so the joke was on them. Until she passed away in 2021, my mother always spoke of the people of Berwind with great affection. She would tell how she would make her grocery list and cut it up into individual pieces of paper for each item. The pieces of paper would be placed in the offering plate at church and passed around, with someone from each family reaching in and taking one of them. The groceries would appear sometime during the week. That's how the church provided for its pastor. One day when I was 5, I could tell something was coming. The creek on the other side of the paved road was higher than I had ever seen it before. The next morning there was water everywhere. Men -- perhaps from the National Guard -- lifted us out of our house through the window. I believe we stayed with a family from the church who lived up the hill above the railroad tracks. Even though the houses on our row were built up on posts or blocks -- high enough that we as kids could play under there -- the flood waters rose and filled the interior with deep mud. We left Berwind after that. I last visited Bewind in 1976 while driving cross-country. Our old house was gone then but the church was still there. It still is.
What a sweet story. I remember how exciting that last day before Christmas vacation was. We'd have a party in the afternoon sponsored by the PTA. It was very simple, a little cup of ice cream, a cookie and a little candy cane. But oh we so looked forward to that every year.
Back in the 60’s visiting my grandparents house down in Minden West Virginia were my fondest memories. My twin aunts never married and took care of my grandparents and me while visiting. My mom left when I was 8, so it was like having two mamas. Reading this story reminded me of my aunts reading to us cousins before bedtime. So many stories to tell. Thank you for ur story and merry Christmas.
Oh, the beautiful imagery of this story. The tree's construction paper ornaments and being proudly displayed in the 8 pound lard can. The little snag on the elbow of the sweater. The brown crumbs and discarded paper cups where his chocolate covered cherries would have been. What a delight! Thank you for another great reading, Tipper!
Tipper, I just love this sweet story!💕 It just goes to show how little or how much something means to someone. Times were so different back in the 1950s. Some people didn't have much, but they were happy. Thank you so much for sharing your stories.🤗 Merry Christmas to you, Matt, and all your family. ✨️🎄🌟 Sending blessings to you all. 💗🙏
Tipper, you are so dear! I loved this little story and was wishing you would read another one. I’ll be looking forward to next week’s reading. Please know that you and Granny are in my daily thoughts and prayers for a happy and blessed Christmas …….. along with everyone in your amazing family. I hope you’ll tell Paul how much I enjoy his blogs, his music, his lovely harmonies with Granny and the way his Faith shines through all of it! I find him brilliant when it comes to music! Thanks to each of you for bringing so much Joy into our lives. God bless you! Love, Jackie (from Maine)
Tipper, I just love this story! 💖 It just shows how little or how much something means to someone. Times were so different back in the 1950s, and some people didn't have much. Thank you so much for sharing this sweet story. 💕 Sending blessings to you and all your family. 💗🙏
Hey Tipper, I sure did enjoy this one. Merry Christmas to you all! I chuckled to myself when you bought some orange slices candy on your other video cus I just bought some myself a couple days ago. Ain't nothing but sugar and maybe Matt's right. They might be like eating play dough. 😅
Places helping with storm damage:
Helping Hands & Deep River Farm Hurricane Relief: centralasheboro.org/events-opportunities/hurricane-relief/
Samaritan’s Purse: www.samaritanspurse.org/
NC Baptists: ncbaptist.org/hurricane-helene-response/
8 Days of Hope: eightdaysofhope.com/
Cajun Navy Relief: www.cajunnavyrelief.com/
Please add any other organizations in the comments. Thank you!!
Another wonderful story. ❤
This story brought tears to my eyes. I can identify with the kids. We didn’t live in a coal camp but just about everyone was a tobacco farmer like Daddy was. I knew we were poor but so was everybody else. We lived on a narrow dirt road that dead-ended at the river. We had an outhouse, a smoke house, a corn crib, and a “dairy” for storing food. A lot of my clothes came from a second hand store except for what Mom made for me. What a time my cousins and I had!
Lot of good memories
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing a bit about your childhood 😊
When I was 15 or 16 years old, complaining about how much homework I had one evening, I remember my dad telling me, "Son, believe it or not, right now is one of best times of your life. All you have to worry about is getting schoolwork done." How right he was!
That’s so true, it’s hard to see it when you are young. Thank you for watching!
These stories are so priceless. Children in school today should hear these. Thank you, Tipper.
Great story ❤
Thank you for a sweet, quiet moment, of remembering what the Christmas spirit should look like. 🎄🙏❤️
We lived in the Berwind, WV, coal camp in 1956-1957. My father pastored a church there.
There was an alley between the houses on the paved road and our houses. The railroad tracks were up the embankment. I can still remember my mother running out to get the clothes off the line when the train was coming so they weren't dirtied again with the coal soot. We kids played in the coal bin on the ally and always needed a scrubbing in the 20-gallon tub. I once was dressed up to go somewhere and, instead of staying clean, ran around and fell. A small piece of black clinker got embedded in my side and was visible below the skin for decades. Our outhouse was one of the few that had a light in it. The switch was inside the house. Whenever we had company, my father liked to prank them by turning off the light while they were out there at night. He did it again when his cousin Roland was visiting and everyone had a good laugh when Roland came back in the house. But they had forgotten Roland was blind, so the joke was on them.
Until she passed away in 2021, my mother always spoke of the people of Berwind with great affection. She would tell how she would make her grocery list and cut it up into individual pieces of paper for each item. The pieces of paper would be placed in the offering plate at church and passed around, with someone from each family reaching in and taking one of them. The groceries would appear sometime during the week. That's how the church provided for its pastor.
One day when I was 5, I could tell something was coming. The creek on the other side of the paved road was higher than I had ever seen it before. The next morning there was water everywhere. Men -- perhaps from the National Guard -- lifted us out of our house through the window. I believe we stayed with a family from the church who lived up the hill above the railroad tracks. Even though the houses on our row were built up on posts or blocks -- high enough that we as kids could play under there -- the flood waters rose and filled the interior with deep mud. We left Berwind after that.
I last visited Bewind in 1976 while driving cross-country. Our old house was gone then but the church was still there. It still is.
Great reading love the Christmas story thanks for another great reading Tipper thanks for sharing 👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🎄🎄🎄🎁🎁🎁
Thanks Tipper! God is good! God bless y’all! 😀♥️🙏
I loved when he said he didn't know they were poor. I remember thinking that, too. Thank you for the story, Tipper.
Thanks mom. Merry Christmas. Love.
Glad you enjoyed!!
A pleasing, practical living, story🎄
What a sweet story. I remember how exciting that last day before Christmas vacation was. We'd have a party in the afternoon sponsored by the PTA. It was very simple, a little cup of ice cream, a cookie and a little candy cane. But oh we so looked forward to that every year.
Love those memories 😊
Back in the 60’s visiting my grandparents house down in Minden West Virginia were my fondest memories. My twin aunts never married and took care of my grandparents and me while visiting. My mom left when I was 8, so it was like having two mamas. Reading this story reminded me of my aunts reading to us cousins before bedtime. So many stories to tell. Thank you for ur story and merry Christmas.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Such a heartwarming story. There's always great joy in giving to others 😊 Praying and Blessed! 🤗🙏💕🌄🎄
Oh, the beautiful imagery of this story. The tree's construction paper ornaments and being proudly displayed in the 8 pound lard can. The little snag on the elbow of the sweater. The brown crumbs and discarded paper cups where his chocolate covered cherries would have been. What a delight! Thank you for another great reading, Tipper!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
What a wonderful story. It's always good to be reminded of the blessings I have. Thank you Tipper. ❤
I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! 😊
Tipper, this is so beautiful and special ❤ I love this story 💕🙏🙏
I’m so glad you enjoyed it 😊
That was beautiful. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Great story! Merry Christmas to you and your family! So happy to see y’all enjoying being grandparents!
So glad you enjoyed it! 😊
Tipper, I just love this sweet story!💕 It just goes to show how little or how much something means to someone. Times were so different back in the 1950s. Some people didn't have much, but they were happy. Thank you so much for sharing your stories.🤗 Merry Christmas to you, Matt, and all your family. ✨️🎄🌟 Sending blessings to you all. 💗🙏
Tipper, you are so dear! I loved this little story and was wishing you would read another one. I’ll be looking forward to next week’s reading. Please know that you and Granny are in my daily thoughts and prayers for a happy and blessed Christmas …….. along with everyone in your amazing family. I hope you’ll tell Paul how much I enjoy his blogs, his music, his lovely harmonies with Granny and the way his Faith shines through all of it! I find him brilliant when it comes to music! Thanks to each of you for bringing so much Joy into our lives. God bless you!
Love, Jackie (from Maine)
Thank you so much Jackie! Merry Christmas 😊
Tipper, I just love this story! 💖 It just shows how little or how much something means to someone. Times were so different back in the 1950s, and some people didn't have much. Thank you so much for sharing this sweet story. 💕 Sending blessings to you and all your family. 💗🙏
I enjoyed the story.
I'm so glad 😊
Beautuful story thank you for reading Tipper..Merry Christmas
❤loved this story!!!🎉😊❤😊❤ 🎉
I'm so glad Debbie 😊
That was a sweet story. It is better to give. Yall know the rest of that. Merry Christmas Tipper and family and to all on here.
Thanks!
Thank you Debbie! We appreciate you so much! Merry Christmas 😊
@CelebratingAppalachia Merry Christmas tipper!
Merry Christmas to you and all of your family! Thank you so very much for your quiet, caring ways. I truly appreciate them.
Thank you so much! Merry Christmas 😊
@@CelebratingAppalachia 💜
Merry Christmas and God bless you, thanks for the story ❤️
Merry Christmas Tipper and family Tipper you are a very special person and I love your videos God bless you for everything you do
Thank you so much! Merry Christmas to you!
Hi Tipper good story can't wait to hear more God bless you all and Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas to you all
MERRY CHRISTMAS tipper an Matt an all ur family God Bless u all enjoy watching
Merry Christmas! Glad you enjoyed the video. 😊
great story thanks
Merry Christmas 🤶
❤ Merry Christmas ❤
By the basement fire. Even better. ❤❤❤❤❤🎉😊
Thank you for the reading ❤
So sweet made more meaningful by being a true story❤️ would be nice to share with a child also🎄🥰
Merry Christmas Tipper
This a good story. His mom was a caring person so it was passed on to him. I'm sure in other ways as well. Merry Christmas to you and yours
I think I h had a Howdy Doedy lunchbox back in the day.
😊 love that
I like watching howdy doedy
Sweet story 😊
Sweet story..yes Roberta there is a Santa Clause!
I remember a Howdy Dowty lunch pail
😊
Hey Tipper, I sure did enjoy this one. Merry Christmas to you all! I chuckled to myself when you bought some orange slices candy on your other video cus I just bought some myself a couple days ago. Ain't nothing but sugar and maybe Matt's right. They might be like eating play dough. 😅
😊 thank you Tony 😊