Publisher - December 2024

Photography by
Cassidy Dunn Photography

“…a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones,
and a time to gather stones together”
— Ecclesiastes 3:3-5i —

Bob Dylan once said he couldn’t write the songs now that he wrote back in his heyday. “I don’t know how I got to write those songs. All those early songs were almost magically written. …It’s not a Siegfried and Roy kind of magic. It’s a different kind of a penetrating magic.”

I’m no Bob Dylan, but in my nearly 33-year career in writing, I have experienced the magic he’s referring to. I believe it’s divine intervention. When it happens, it’s as though I’m simply a conduit between the flow of words and my computer screen. The first time it happened, I didn’t recognize it. I had put together the script for the Kickoff Show for the Southern 500 Countdown in Darlington, S.C. Radio legend Tom Kinard was emcee, and as the evening went on, he stopped in the middle of the show to ask the entire audience who wrote the words he was reading. It was me; I was 28 years old.

It made me feel proud, but I didn’t recognize my gift for writing, or the gift of the magic I experienced in writing that script. In my mind, I had simply done my job, which was to pull off the best ever kickoff to a Labor Day Winston Cup Southern 500 race weekend.

I can recall several more times the magic has flowed through me, but two in particular. Interestingly, most of the time these magical words come in the form of poetry. And every time, there is a common factor: I sob when I’m done.

The following Christmas poem is the result of this divine flow. I had worked out the first two lines on I-95 while driving back from Columbia one Sunday afternoon. Later that day, I sat down with my laptop in the family room of my house. It was quiet, just me and my dog. I typed the first two lines I had come up with in the car, and the next 40 minutes was consumed with what felt like feverishly pulling down words that were floating over me and putting them in the right order. Seriously, in 40 minutes, I wrote this entire poem. And as promised, when I reread it, I sobbed like I had been drained of everything I had in me.

I recognized the magic immediately. I praised God, ironically, from whom all blessings flow—just like these words. I deemed this the best piece I’d ever written and registered and copyrighted it with the US Copyright office and Library of Congress.

This poem flowed through me the day before press in November 2021. We have run it in every December issue since. I wasn’t going to run it this year, but at the last minute, I changed my mind.

I hope these words fill your heart and add meaning to your holidays. It is time we all turn a new page and let anger, fear, and sadness go. The Bible says for everything there is a season, and time for every matter under heaven. This, my friend, is a time for joy! Let’s pinky promise to allow the load to lift and make a positive shift. Here’s to a season of merry and bright! Joy to the world.

Think Pink,
Elizabeth Millen

Away with divisiveness, anger and fear;
Let it all go and replace it with cheer.

By Elizabeth Skenes Millen

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house,
Everyone was angry, even the mouse.

The tempers had flared, it seemed nobody cared
The TV shows told us there’s no hope, no prayer.

The children were alone all glued to their phones,
Which stole Christmas spirit, the cheer and the tone.

With mamma lonely and daddy across town,
It’s no wonder why both of them felt so down.

When out in the sky there arose such a show
All stopped for a sec to see what was aglow.

Away to the window, I approached with fear
And thought to myself it had been such a year.

I tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash
And my eyes filled with tears as quick as a dash.

The wind seemed to shift, there was love in the air
Was it safe to think people really do care?

When what to my wearisome heart did appear
A new chance at life without anger or fear.

With focus on love, not the ugly and bad
I became grateful for the things that I had.

Thankfulness began to fill my spirit up
I realized I’m blessed and to keep my chin up.

“Now, Kindness! now, Friendship! now Joy and Love!
On, Courage! on, Laughter! on, Healing and Hugs!

To the hearts of people to quell the outrage,
This season can help us turn to a new page.

Away with divisiveness, anger and fear;
Let it all go and replace it with cheer.

We all have a choice of how we want to live;
Choose hope, love and faith, the best presents to give.

Not only to others, but also to self;
Our world will start healing, you’ll feel it yourself.

Smiles will appear and the burdens will lighten;
Soon you will feel your whole demeanor brighten.

There’ll be pep in your step, you’ll start to feel great,
Wondering why there has to be so much hate.

You’ll turn off the ‘Net, you’ll begin to reach out,
You’ll become the difference they talk about.

Your eyes will twinkle, your spirit will merry
You’ll spread joy and sparkle without any tarry.

Your family will gather, your friends will be nigh,
And all will feel love from the earth’s big guy.

He’ll remind us that love is patient and kind;
It does not envy, boast, dishonor or bind.

It is the theme of the season, that is for sure,
Love makes everything easier to endure.

That star in the sky, it lit the world so bright;
Its promise is solid, it will all be all right.

Hearts ignited with hope, the anger now gone,
Happy Christmas to all, and to all a new dawn.