New Year Resolutions for me used to include vague ambitions such as, “Read More Books.” And after so many years of never knowing whether or not I actually read more books, I changed my resolution to read, “Keep track of books I read.” It’s specific and measurable…like a good resolution ought to ... Read More
A Remarkable Advent: Day 19
Reflection based on Matthew 1:24-25. God had called him the “offspring” and “the seed.” The Psalmists called him the Cornerstone, Deliverer and King. The prophet Isaiah called him the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Prince of Peace. All of those names, plus a host of others ... Read More
A Strategic Plan for Black Friday and Advent
Thanksgiving is just 2 days away. Which means the biggest shopping day of the year is just 3 days away. For about 50 reasons that I won’t recount here, I’ve never been much of a shopper. I mean I like spending money, and I like getting new things, I like cute clothes, shoes, and good books. But ... Read More
When Thanksgiving Gets Obstructed
Maybe you’ve noticed this phenomenon at your house…you flip the calendar to November, and about a thousand Christmas catalogs rush into your mailbox! Every year it's like someone is aiming a fire hose filled with junk mail right into the mailbox. It kind of gets in the way of all the talk about ... Read More
Show Up in the Dark, Just like Jesus
Sometimes the world seems scrambled. A lot of the time actually. It’s hard to understand why things happen or why they are allowed to happen. I’m regularly taking refuge in this fact: chaos in the world does not mean Christ is not at work. We’re just one calendar flip away from Christmas, and ... Read More