Oh Holy Night
It’s Christmas Eve! We’re so close now. Christmas is tomorrow. We feel it in the air — the quiet excitement, the rustle of wrapping paper in a back room, AND the whispered negotiations — “Plllllease can we open just one present?” on Christmas Eve. You remember that feeling, don’t you? The one gift allowed early.…
From Manger to Majesty
I am still amazed by the miracle of Christmas. Truly amazed. That God — the Creator of galaxies, oceans, and every beating heart — chose to come to earth wrapped in human skin. That alone should make us stop mid-sentence and ask — “How could that be?” A virgin named Mary held the Son of…
“Do Not Fear” — Seems to Be a Theme Here
If we’ve learned anything from the Christmas story so far, it’s this –God must know we humans can be skittish aka jumpy aka nervous. Three scenes in and we’re already batting three for three on angelic fear warnings. Mary? “Do not be afraid.”Joseph? “Do not be afraid.”Shepherds? “Do not be afraid.”(Translation: Breathe. Heaven is speaking.)…
Eight Months Pregnant and Riding a Donkey
Okay — so I am pondering the thoughts of Mary again. Consider this — she is eight months pregnant. Eight. Months. Pregnant. And Joseph walks in with news that would make any expectant mother drop her water jar. “Pack your bags, Mary. We’re heading to Bethlehem for the census.”Bethlehem. Eighty dusty miles. On a donkey.…
The Marvel of a Man Willing to Trust
Yesterday, in my blog, I focused on the news from the angel, Gabriel to Mary — and the awesome yet trepidatious knowledge of carrying Baby Jesus in her womb — “and the Holy Spirit came upon her.” (Luke 1:35) In the meantime — Joseph had plans. Good plans. Solid plans. He was established, respected, engaged…
A Father’s Love at Christmas
Every December, I set out my nativity scenes — all dozen-plus of them — but this year — something sweet caught my eye. Nearly every set shows Mary looking tenderly at Jesus in the manger or holding Him close, as any new mother would. But among all the figures, one nativity stood out from the…
Advent: When Heaven Comes Home to Us
Yesterday was the first Sunday of Advent — the doorway into the most beautiful story ever told. And while the world around us seems to sprint toward December 25th, Advent gently invites us to slow down — to breathe — to look up — and to remember the holy journey to Bethlehem that changed everything.…
The Not-So-Perfect Christmas
It’s time for those picture-perfect Christmas photos of families in matching pajamas, along with the picture-perfect photos of our impressive Christmas décor. Suddenly the comparison doors swing wide open as we try to one-up our friends and neighbors so that we win the “Christmas Decorating” award. Leaving those comparisons behind has been a relief for…
If I Were God, I Would Have…
Thank goodness we’re not God! Imagine the mess we’d make, driven by our own limited understanding. Garth Brooks had it right: sometimes we have to thank God for unanswered prayers. If every one of my prayers had received a “yes,” I shudder to think where I’d be now. In Isaiah 55:8, God says, “My ways…
This is Just a Chapter
“Well, this is a fine mess!” Isn’t that what we think when life throws us for a loop? Like we’ve stumbled into the wrong chapter of our own story. But hang tight, because shattered dreams are the very pages God uses to write the most incredible comebacks! We’ve all been there—broken relationships, financial upheavals, health…