The Christmas Code

by Ed J. Pinegar

Mr. G has made plenty of mistakes. Now, in the twilight of his life, he's a man with a to assuage his uneasy conscience by filling the world with goodness, love, and charity through small acts of kindness. And what better time to spread his Christian message of hope than during the Christmas season? It s just a few days before Christmas, and Mr. G has created a series of coded messages, words of encouragement he hopes those around him will decipher and live by. Little does he realize that these messages, along with his small acts of service, will set off a chain reaction of positive effects in the lives of five strangers. The resulting events come full circle for Mr. G, culminating in the poignant resolution of the most painful regret of his past.

Genres: Christmas

96 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2014

Reviews

[Verona]

Knowing the author while a student at BYU increased my enjoyment of this book. It is a simple story told in not many pages, but will be one of my favorite Christmas stories. There is a humility about Mr. G and his road to redemption. The author dovetailed the characters lives into each other's nicely. Although bittersweet, I felt the spirit of Christmas in this story. It made me feel good and want to be good as was shared as a message here.

[Nicole Smith]

My mom had this in her stack of Christmas books, so I picked it up. It was a fast, delightful read. Such a great reminder both of the true meaning of Christmas and the power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Favorite Quotes:
- So this is what they mean by the joy of Christmas. All because an anonymous person had reached out and blessed her and little Jacob. Kindness begets kindness; love begets love; and we all begin to change, she thought. (p25)
- Instead of judging Jeremy for his living situation, she found herself wondering with great sadness what had led him to this desperate place—and what could save him. “For we are saved by hope,” she repeated aloud. “All of us.” (p31)
- “It’s not enough to be Good; you must do good.” (p51)
- He was still crying. “Please do not worry about me, my friends. The pain I feel right now is not physical. You see, when you reach the end of your life, you can’t help but think about all you did wrong and what you might have done differently. I’m afraid for me, it’s too late.” (p58)

[Alisha]

I love books when all the characters are tied in some way and you gradually find out how and why. This was one of those. Such a tender book. It also shows how when you do an act of kindness for one person how it is a ripple effect.

[Kim McCoy]

A simple quick book with a sweet Christmas message.

[Becky]

A bit slow (it took me months to read it) but it has a good message - if a bit heavy-handed.

[Vicki]

A short Hallmarkesque novella.

[Danni]

Good book

[Chels]

Cute little Christmas story about hope

[Brenda]

Very good reminder for everyone to look for ways to love and serve others.

[Shauna]

Do you like solving codes? I DO!

Mr. G LOVES SHARING codes.

In fact on his door he has the code ...16-3-5-10

And today's message written on a bright yellow card, in bold red letters is:

"Remember to be 22-18-1-8
and 14-10-1-10-9-3-15-11."

Mr. G shares his codes and his kindness in hopes of redeeming himself from all the past mistakes he has made.

He is not getting any younger and he is hoping that his "small acts of service" will make amends before he leaves this life.

People now watch for Mr. G in hopes of receiving his new code and sharing a few moments with him.

Little does Mr. G know that a chain of events has been put into play that will bring his greatest hearts desire to fullness.

What a perfect Christmas gift for all involved!

This is DEFINITELY a MUST-READ!
Share the code! Share the book!

Mr. G's Color and Number Code are included in the book :)

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa)]

Mr G is a humble man who has set his feet on the path of personal redemption. He is trying to help others by sharing a message of hope. He wants to help them, he desires to have them not make mistakes that forever haunt them, like the one that he made several years ago.

He creates a code, giving others a message that they need to decipher. He hopes that it will help out friends and neighbors making a brighter future for themselves. His message at Christmas sets off a chain reaction that forever alters the lives of people around him.

I enjoyed the story of helping others. It was amazing to see how one good deed grows and helps other people. One act of kindness can make a difference and change a life.

This is a wonderful story centering around the holiday season. Really, it would be a great story at any time of the year. But I love how Christmas is a season of giving and this book is a great reminder.

[Thebarrys10]

I gave this book 5 stars because Ed Pinegar, the author, was my college institute instructor and I love him! This tender story includes an older man who's trying to overcome his past mistakes by doing all he can for others with his very meager income. He made up a code to help people find true joy. The story unfolds with strangers, whom have been helped through the code, coming together to help the old man.

[Cathy]

A delightful Christmas or anytime little story about repentance, forgiveness, redemption, kindness to everyone, hope, goodness, love, charity, service, etc. It's a quick read but teaches so much. You'll love Mr. G and how it turns out, but it's sad too.

[Makayla Gustafson]

I thought this was a cute, easy to read book with a great message. The true spirit of Christmas is a lesson everyone should learn and this book does it wonderfully.

[Rachel]

Cute little story!

[Suzan]

Cute story.

[Claudia]

These were quick reads - I really liked it.

[Leilani]

What a great message. I wanna hang a code on my door now to remeber the secret message.

[Breena]

A touching story with a perfect ending. Not fairy tale style, but perfect. I totally cried.