Gaining a heart of wisdom
(...and a new Christmas fiction book just for fun!) The first Sunday of Advent is less than a month away! What will you do this year to celebrate, reflect, and renew your sense of awe that God the Son would hunker down and wizen up and enter the darkness of this world? The incarnation is… Continue reading Four New Resources for Your Advent Reflection
Part Four: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know Christmas baking here in the Morin compound involves eleven different recipes. Most of the goodies are either carried or mailed offsite, and having a generous supply on hand makes party food, unexpected guests, and random gifting quite stress-free—even enjoyable. But looking at the list at the… Continue reading Overcome Christmas Discouragement by Remembering Your Powerful Why
Part Three: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know The word hope has been gutted by misuse to the point where it's a flimsy thing, a wish thrown out into the universe, a desire held close to one's heart. Christmas allows us to fill the word hope back up again with true biblical meaning. The… Continue reading Christmas Hope for the Fears of All the Years
Part Two: Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know We live in a world described by C.S. Lewis's devil Screwtape as "The Kingdom of Noise." When we're not being assaulted by ringing phones or pinging notifications, we have podcasts and playlists pouring into our ears as if listening to something might actually be our real… Continue reading Wishing You a Silent and Holy Christmas in the Kingdom of Noise
Part 1--Carols I Want My Grandchildren to Know Expectation and Christmas are long-time friends. Tantalizing gifts under a sparkling tree, anticipated gatherings with loved ones, seasonal parties, and special menus that happen only in December add to the expectational cocktail that has become North American Christmas. Taken in reasonable doses, this festive anticipation fuels a… Continue reading It’s Christmas Time! What Is Your Hope? What Are You Waiting For?
What will you be reading during Advent this year? Will you return to an old favorite devotional book or crack open a classic by Dickens or O. Henry? Do you find that your reading during Advent prepares your heart for deeper joy and a more meaningful celebration? We are blessed in 2023 with a rich… Continue reading 4 New Christmas Books to Deepen Your Joy as You Celebrate Jesus
Maybe the idea of a Peaceful Christmas feels a bit like an oxymoron by mid-December? The plans you laid on December 1st have dissolved, and now at the end of your rope, you've tied a knot and are hanging on until Christmas is in the rearview mirror once again. It's not too late to start… Continue reading How Can I Become an Instrument of Peace at Christmas Time?
Advent Series Part Three: Everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6) Both my grandsons have been created in the express image of their fathers, which amounts to a temperamental salad bar of sensitivity, willfulness, and a worldview that sees all of life as a multiple-choice quiz--and all the answers are "None of the Above." This shared understanding has… Continue reading The Importance and the Blessing of an Understanding Father
Advent Series Part One: Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6) The Christmas story overflows with certainty. Both Mary and Joseph received specific guidance in supernatural dreams. The shepherds were told precisely where to look for Jesus, and the wise men from the East followed a star that led them across the miles and directly to the toddler… Continue reading Where Do You Go When You Need Wisdom? Who Will Be Your Counselor?
Welcome to the season of ceaseless striving! Of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas are never billed that way, and I truly hope that it's NOT your experience! However, if you're paying close attention to all the flickering candles and peaceful white twinkly lights on your Instagram feed, it's entirely possible that you're getting a different version… Continue reading A Peaceful and Joyful Holiday Season Begins with a Request for Rest
Living Our Days 