I miss having little kids at Christmastime. Adult children at Christmas has its charms, like sleeping late on Christmas morning, and a slower, more relaxed pace to the day. But I find myself grieving …
God is Not Santa
Now that we’ve entered the Christmas season, I was thinking about Santa Claus the other day. It’s kind of hard not to, isn’t it? Who is more ubiquitous this time of year than Santa? (I mean, besides …
Blessed to Receive
I have two favorite stories I like to watch every Christmas. One is “A Christmas Carol,” Charles Dickens’ classic tale of an elderly miser redeemed after the visitation of three spirits. The other is, …
Family History
Christmas is a time for getting the whole family together. For many, that can be both a good and a bad thing. Let’s face it, for many of us, our families are crazy. Some people tell me I have a loud …
In Peace
If you were in church this past Sunday, and if your church observes Advent, you know that the candle you all lit this week is known as the Candle of Peace. What immediately springs to mind when I …
The Power of Advent
One of the things I’ve come to appreciate over the years of working in a school is its seasons. As philosopher Jamie Smith has pointed out, each institution, whether the practice of law I came from, …