“Christmas.” What springs to mind when you hear that word? Perhaps too often we think of festivities, gifts, decorations, holiday music, family gatherings, food, time off from work, rest, relaxation, Christmas movies, Santa Claus, Christmas trees, or even NFL/NBA games for the diehard sports fan. Yet fundamentally as Christians, we think of Jesus’ birth. His…
I wanted to take a moment to wish you, “Merry Christmas.” If you are like me, you appreciate a predictable routine. I am someone who enjoys a healthy blend of spontaneity mixed with some order so when Christmastime comes and more family arrives, the schedule shakes up, to say the least. It is very fun…
In Charles Dickens’ legendary short novel, A Christmas Carol, there is a lovely line of prose at the end of the fictional story wherein the fully redeemed Ebenezer Scrooge is summarized: “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well if any man alive possessed the knowledge.” I love the idea of…
This Christmas will be taking place in a way that none of us would have expected. Fear of the unknown, the fear of gathering together coupled with governmental mandates seems to have dampened the hearts of many. Perhaps somewhat similar to that first “Christmas”. However, Christmas is still the celebration of the birth of the…
When I was in seminary, there was a gentleman who used to sit in on some of our Hebrew lectures. He was an orthodox Jewish rabbi, and he had become friends with our Hebrew professor. Out of their relationship, the professor had given him an open invitation to join us. Sometimes, he’d come alone. At…
Jesus taught with stories! Story has the power to touch more than just our reason and cognitive realm. I am reminded of a story that very much moves me with the reality we read about in Matthew 1:23, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel (which…
Christmas evokes our spirits toward a real and genuine desire for intimacy with family and friends. Believers in Christ are especially drawn toward deeper intimacy with Christ. The familiar scene of the newborn baby laying in a manger surrounded by young parents, shepherds, and stable animals who are hovered as it were over God on…
Being prepared is something that we all need to attend to in our lives. Our employers expect us to be prepared to successfully do our job. If you want a particular trip to go well, it behooves one to put some time in and be prepared. A common topic on the web is an EDC…
