Dr. Seuss wasn’t thinking of me when he wrote How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Charles Dickens would not have asked me to play Scrooge in his story. In spite of what you may read later . . . remember that! I’m not anti-Christmas, nor do I brandish the overused bumper sticker, “Put Christ Back into […]
Read MoreCategory Archives: Christmas
Looking at the Big Picture . . . and Finding Hope
If you know a little about the birth of Jesus, it might be best for you to forget it and start from scratch. The Christmas story has been so sanitised and romanticised over the centuries that even Hollywood—as jaded a culture as can be found anywhere—always fails to capture the gritty pathos that surrounded Jesus’s […]
Read MoreGrowing Closer to God: Celebrating Jesus
We began our journey this year with the goal of growing closer to God by modeling Jesus’s life and character in the world around us. This month, we celebrate Jesus and the access to God we have through Him. Eugene Peterson’s The Message describes Jesus’s incarnation in this refreshing way: The Word became flesh and […]
Read MoreGod Had a Plan (and Still Does)
For the longest time, I didn’t understand the new-car industry. I had always thought when a person wanted an automobile, he or she dropped by the local dealership, kicked a few tyres, and placed the order with the salesperson. I figured that when headquarters got the specs, they’d scurry around the shop to find the […]
Read MoreDealing with Holiday Loneliness
It’s true. For many people, the holidays draw up painful memories. Sore spots from childhood or the loss of loved ones hit them hard during this sentimental season. While many people celebrate the joys of Christmastime, others suffer its loneliness. During one of the most desperate times of David’s life, the anointed future king of […]
Read MoreAdvent. Coming.
I’m not an Anglican, although there is much that I appreciate from my Anglican roots. Some examples are…the heritage, the rich tradition of orthodox, apostolic faith, the liturgical prayers, which taught me evangelical theology from a young age, and the church calendar. Yes, you read correctly, the church calendar. It’s a wonderful pattern of organising […]
Read MoreA Gift Too Wonderful for Words
Long ago in a quiet, crude place where animals sleep, Mary gave birth and felt the soft, human skin of her firstborn. The humanity of this scene appropriately pulls us in for a closer look. We can identify with Joseph’s confusion, with Mary’s wonder, and with the shepherds’ amazement about the Son of God’s quiet […]
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