I’ve always enjoyed Christmas lights, especially on the tree. My father allowed me to help with setting up the tree and putting on the lights and it was a big day when I was allowed to be responsible for the lights all by myself. Sometimes, late at night, I would go downstairs and light the tree. I would lay on the sofa and just take […]
But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart – Luke 2:19 Mary often gets overlooked. This woman chosen by God to bear the Savior of the World and nurture him to adulthood barely gets more than a nod at Christmastime by many people. Of all the women throughout history, she is the one chosen by God to be the means […]
“What is the least I can do?” It is not a question you will hear many people ask, at least not in such blunt words, but often it is the reality behind much of our motivation. With a world full of demands and desires, it is easy to look for the minimum investment required, but is that what God asks of us? Is that what […]
I didn’t complete the 50,000 words for the National Novel Writing Month challenge, but I wrote more fiction than I ever have before, and I learned a lot about novel writing, discovered some interesting plotlines, and even wrote a few good scenes. It was a great experience and I am ready to try again next year. I will be sure to start at the the […]
Here is a holiday acrostic poem for Christmas. May you be blessed with all the joy, wonder, awe and life that is Christmas and may the light of the Infant-King illumine your life and shine through you to light the world. Tidings come from God’s own faceHeralding his incarnate graceEnter shepherds beneath the sky Keeping there, a watchful eyeIn an instant, angelic hostNoble King, of […]
The story of the first Christmas is filled with images to remember and celebrate. The drama around Elizabeth’s pregnancy and the birth of her son John, the annunciation of the coming King to Mary and then to Joseph, the stable in Bethlehem, and the host of angels declaring good news to shepherds, these are some of the images the season brings to mind. One important […]
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face” – Victor Hugo Sometimes, it is hard to laugh; hard to find the joy in the moment or the day. Circumstances mixed with our emotional position can deeply affect our mood and our feelings, leaving us without the feeling of joy or a desire to laugh. This morning, I awoke with the gift of […]
Kindness is a wonderful thing. It is great to receive and equally wonderful to give. It can multiply the joyous times of life and bring the light of hope into the darkest seasons. My devotions recently led me to a wonderful reflection on kindness in the form of a story from the ancient Christians: Abba Moses was asked to travel to another community to pass […]
I love snow. I look forward to it every year, and as I mentioned in a previous post, my family celebrates the first day of snow as a very special day. Not everyone shares our opinion. In fact, every time one of us expresses our love of snow, some of our friends make a point of reminding us of the dangers and challenges snow […]
“Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” – Luke 2:15 How far would you go to celebrate Christmas? More than mileage, what would you be willing to do to experience the full meaning of this special season? What is Christmas worth to you? The Gospel of Luke tells the story […]