Charlie Brown got it: we have commercialized Christmas to the point of turning it into something almost unrecognizable when compared to the original silent night in a barn. How are children of God caught up in this glitz and glam culture called to look past the special sales, endless noise, and festive chaos to spread... Continue Reading →
There are a thousand approaches to the Christmas season: some of us tiptoe up to it and knock softly, and others cannonball right smack dab into the middle of the fun. Whatever your preferred method of celebrating looks like, may this time be extra special and littered with surprise bits of joy. Here are a... Continue Reading →
Have you ever noticed how quickly a certain smell can bring up emotions or memories? The hallway to my kindergarten always smelled of glue, crayons, and, somehow, learning. If you could bottle that scent up and release a bit around me unannounced, I'd immediately be transported right back to the place of months of the... Continue Reading →
One who searches Scripture cannot manage to escape the faithfulness of God: it's the ink that forms the print and is present everywhere from "in the beginning" to "come, Lord Jesus." His promises, His acts, His attitudes, His character—it's all steeped in His faithfulness. Our culture doesn't value faithfulness very highly, and the "muchness" of... Continue Reading →
The trees have shamelessly disrobed once again. Birds flock to warmer spaces, and family gathers in. As we tiptoe toward another season of thanks and giving, may I ask, How's your heart? Mine is frankly concerned with other things—details, plans, the small bits of life. I mean, who really has time for giving thanks continually,... Continue Reading →
The graduation party. The big promotion. The skinny jeans. The dazzled guests. The “I do.” Every season, adventure, and project you begin has a pleasant conclusion that you find worthwhile, and if you can push past all of the difficulties, you wind up with the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow (or... Continue Reading →
Just so you know, I’m awful in the kitchen. My great culinary feats include turning instant rice into a horrible pudding-like substance (apparently it’s not meant for the rice cooker) and prematurely mixing a cherry dump cake which ended up looking like vomit lasagna. You’re welcome for the visual. But the biggest catastrophe was mistaking... Continue Reading →
Guess what word my name sounds like in Spanish? Almost. I know this because I was fondly called Almost a lot during a brief mission stint in Monterrey, Mexico, and I kind of hated it. 'Almost' shows a lack: sure, you've made progress, but you’re still falling short of complete. (The optimist would spin it... Continue Reading →
Sharing was a big deal during my upbringing, and it’s never really let go of me. As that is the case, I’d like to open up the first Monday of every month by sharing some happy pieces of the world with you. Philippians 4:8 says to dwell on things that are true, noble, right, pure,... Continue Reading →
Once upon a time… I feel like all of the best stories could start like that. When you hear those words, you can pretty much count on the fact that you should snuggle in and listen well because things are about to get good. Over the next three Fridays, we’ll be dwelling on (and in)... Continue Reading →
The Dwelling Place 