Words for the Year: Less
“Save it for a rainy day.” “You never know when you might need it.” “I hate to get rid of it.” What is the “It” in each of these statements? It is the excess I have in my life. The
Precipice Between Years
On a recent trip to Michigan, I traveled with family to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The steep dunes created a newfound challenge as we embarked on the hike. The intensity of the first ascent made my heart beat much
Advent: Salvation
A beloved movie for many people during the Christmas season is Chevy Chase’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. The movie features a lot of memorable lines and scenes which are repeated throughout many Christmas celebrations. In one scene, Clark Griswold (Chase’s
Advent: Mercy
“The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,” was part of my early childhood memories in our home where we had a fireplace. In the days leading up to Christmas morning, my parents would use the stockings as a
Advent: Light
In April of this year, people gathered in places where the solar eclipse would have the longest period of darkness. The community where I live was one of those places where we would experience over four minutes of totality as
Advent: Humility
“for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” Luke 1:48 Pride and individualism seek to place oneself above anyone or anything else as the only purveyor of truth in a person’s life. When we witness the
Thankful for God’s Timing
Our son, Micah, was recently traveling to his girlfriend’s college to visit. As he was talking to me on his Bluetooth device, I heard a loud noise and he let out a gasp. I said, “What was that?” He responded,
Thankful for Simple Things
The early morning hours are quiet in my house. As my family continues to sleep, I enjoy getting up to read, pray, journal, and consider the opportunities in front of me for the day. Our couch faces east toward a
Thankful For Music
Rich Mullins, a contemporary Christian recording artist, wrote a Christmas song whose lyrics are, “You gotta get up; you gotta get up; you gotta get up…it’s Christmas morning.” Over the years this song has become a mantra in my mind
Thankful for Family
My wife’s family gathered this weekend for the funeral of my wife’s sister-in-law. It was the first time my wife’s family had this many family members together in one place in seven years. As each person arrived, the room lit