God’s splendor is a tale that is told.
What are you expecting right now? What promise of God are you carrying in your belly, (im)patiently waiting for the day it will be delivered? As Mary made her way to Bethlehem, she held within her the greatest promise ever made. She was physically and spiritually heavy with expectation. I imagine she was also deeply …
Have you finished your Christmas shopping? Or are you speedwalking the mall, getting all sweaty in a dire search for the last Sven plushie in the tri-city area? (Not that I know anything about that.) Don’t worry, it’ll all work out. Always does. But as you’re checking off that gift list, I suspect there’s someone …
Even folks who aren’t Christian know the story of the Nativity: baby Jesus born in a barn, surrounded by critters, visited by wealthy strangers. It’s repeated so often by rote that it starts to lose its wonder, like a word you repeat until you can’t remember what it means. (What is a “dog” anyway?!) Let’s …
As we approach the big day, it’s easy to let the busyness of Christmas narrow our vision until all we can see is our own stress, our own lack, our own drama. But look up. Who around you is hurting? Who’s hungry or cold? Who’s using rent money to buy their kids gifts? Who’s lonely? …
Yesterday, I was that woman crying in the toy aisle at Walmart. But not for the reason you might think. All my daughter asked for from Santa is an Elsa doll. But despite months of walking past aisles full of them, it didn’t occur to me to buy one until last week. Rookie move. Now, …
CONFESSION: I’m not feeling it this Christmas. I got any friends out there? It’s hardly an unusual thing to say these days, but what’s shocking to me is that I felt it so much before I even met Jesus. Every December, I was a holly jolly ball of cheer, delighted at the lights, the music, …