Many years ago during one Advent season, I discovered an old book in my parent’s home titled “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. I often searched my parents’ book shelves as my mother was an avid collector of old books. To her every one was a treasure. This particular book was a thin, plain, cheaply made book, published in 1956 with the picture above glued to the book cover. The picture is of Truman, when he was 7 years old, with his best friend, Miss Sook Faulk, a much older distance cousin he lived with in rural Alabama until age 10. The memory Truman recounts in this short story is of one Christmas from the early 1930’s.

This story is a gem; a heartwarming memoir about celebrating the joy of Christmas with little money but much love. If you have time this Advent I heartily recommend settling into a cozy chair next to a fire with a hot drink and transport yourself for 30 minutes to a simple Christmas in Alabama 90 years ago. It will likely trigger your own memories of gathering with family and friends during this season. Perhaps you may realize that the Christmas gifts you have valued most over the years were those not purchased.

If inclined please consider sharing one of your favorite Christmas stories in the comment section. May you be blessed this Advent season!

Nearly 50 years ago I discovered a book in my parent’s home titled “The Way of the Wolf” written by Martin Bell, an author, musician, and Episcopal priest. This book, published in 1970, includes the Christmas classic “Barrington Bunny”, which I first read to a high school youth group when I was in college. Several decades later, when my granddaughters were older, I resurfaced the story at a Christmas Eve gathering and assigned parts to family members to read aloud. Again last Christmas we read the story with our youngest granddaughter reading the part of Barrington Bunny.

This post contains an introduction and conclusion to this moving story by Steve Harsh and a memorable email I received from a friend on November 23, 2015 after rereading the story. I’ve also attached a pdf of the story with assigned parts in the event any of you would like to download it and read it together as a family. May this story be a blessing to you this Advent season.

In preparation for Advent, we turn to the first chapter of Luke’s gospel account and encounter the wonderful story of the priest, Zechariah. and his wife Elizabeth, both who were well along in years and had no children for Elizabeth was barren. One day while serving in the temple Zechariah encountered the angel, Gabriel, who promises his wife will bear him a son, whom he is to name John, and whose purpose will be to “make ready a people prepared for the Lord”. Because Zechariah questioned Gabriel’s words, he was rendered unable to speak until his son was born.

Immediately after John’s birth, Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke of the tender mercy of God. This post includes the scriptural account of Zechariah’s prophecy and a beautiful sermon by Charles Spurgeon reflecting on the abundance of God’s tender mercies offered freely to all people.

Jesus encouraged us to be keen observers of God’s creation when he invited his followers to “consider the ravens” and “consider the lilies”. Why? Because He knows we can learn about His Father from them. A.G. Siegrist speaks to this as follows:

“The truth is that the Christian faith is all about transformation. Woven into the warp and the woof of scripture is the call to live in a way that does not make our own ease the measure of value. Consider the ravens. Consider the lilies. God holds them in hand—and us as well. Put simply, the worth of the walrus and the black footed ferret is not determined by what they mean to us, but by what they mean to God. And God says they are good.”

In this post we will do what Jesus suggests and “consider the ravens” with scripture, a short video, an essay by Tim Smith, and an newspaper article of how observing birds helped in the healing of artist, Penelope Krebs. May this post be a catalyst for each of us to pay more attention each day to the wonder of creation which reveals the goodness of God.

Have you ever received news that seemed too good to be true? If so, did it turn out to be true? This was the situation with the disciples the first evening after hearing reports of the resurrection of Jesus. When He suddenly appeared to them they struggled to believe He was alive. Scripture indicates “they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement”.

Don’t we, like the disciples, sometimes find the promises of scripture too good to be true? That simply by placing our trust in Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and are assured a place in His eternal kingdom, along with a host of other wonderful things. Yet this is what Jesus promises and it was the message preached by the disciples who had been eyewitnesses of all that Jesus did and said in His three year public ministry.

In this post we will ponder this “too good to be true” gospel in a gripping sermon preached by Charles Spurgeon titled “Too Good to be True! A Paradox!” which he preached in 1861 at age 27. May you be blessed with a conviction that this “too good to be true” gospel is the truth.

I was six years old in 1961 when Peter, Paul and Mary formed as an American folk group in New York City. The trio quickly became a prominent voice in America during the turbulent 60’s and they continued singing together for over 4 decades. Songs such as “If I Had A Hammer”, “Day is Done”, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone”, “Puff (The Magic Dragon)”, and “Blowin In The Wind” are some of their timeless classics.

This week I came across the beautiful story of how another classic, the “Wedding Song”, came to be. Penned by Paul Stookey in 1969, he sang it to bless the marriage of his bandmate, Peter Yarrow. Since then this song, originally intended to be sung just once at Peter’s wedding, has been sung at thousands of weddings over the years, perhaps even at a wedding of one of the readers of this post. May this story and song stir your soul this day, as it did mine. “He is now to be among you, at the calling of your hearts”.

We learn very early in this life that pain and suffering are part and parcel of our experience here on earth. We can all name friends and family who are currently struggling through ill health, grief, addiction, depression, or death of a loved one. Perhaps some of us are struggling as well. What does God think about our suffering? Where is God when life hurts?

This post attempts to answer this question. It contains a very moving sermon by Shannon Kershner titled “Healed” about the heartbreak of a parent who loses a child. It concludes with an excerpt by Philip Yancey from his acclaimed book, “Where Is God When It Hurts?”. May this post not only be a comfort to those who are suffering but also a help to those who come alongside those who are hurting.

What is it about the sunset that evokes in us a sense of awe and wonder? Is it the sheer beauty and tranquility of this moment? Is it a means of divine grace, washing away the troubles of the day, and blessing us with a sense of peace that transcends our understanding? Does it create in us a desire to worship and praise the author of this glorious display? Does it lead us to ponder the meaning and purpose of our short life here on earth? Does it remind us of our mortality and give us hope of a new day, a fresh start, a new life that God offers freely to all through the mediating work of His Son?

In this post pastor Charles E. Jefferson (1860-1937) explores the meaning of the sunset, one of God’s many graces given freely to all people. As you read this may you recall memorable sunsets you have witnessed in your life and what they have meant for you.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;
All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

Thanks and praise, for our days,
‘Neath the sun, ‘neath the stars, neath the sky;
As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

Don’t we often find when we zoom out and see our troubles from a distance everything appears peaceful and harmonious, just like in the image above. Yet here on earth our lived experience is vastly different. Jesus, in fact, confirmed this would be the case when He told His disciples “In this world you will have trouble”, but then He adds, “But fear not. I have overcome the world.”

In this post we observe our planet earth from a distance; the earth scripture claims God created and declared it good. It includes the story behind the song “From A Distance” written by Julie Gold in 1985 and a moving video of the late Nanci Griffith singing this anthem in Norway in 1993.

“From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It's the voice of hope, it's the voice of peace,
it's the voice of every man.”

Shortly after Jesus announced his public ministry he began to call His disciples. Have you ever really thought about the ages of these 12 disciples of Jesus? Based on depictions in movies and historical paintings we’ve been led to believe that the disciples were mostly older than Jesus, and we know Jesus was about age 30 (Luke 3:23) when he began his public ministry. Would it surprise you if the disciples were mostly teenagers?

Rick Thiessen explores this question in his research of both Scripture and the Mishnah (the oral interpretation of the Torah at the time of Jesus). To me the evidence is extremely compelling and, if true, helps us to better understand many of the interactions between Jesus and His disciples as recorded in the gospels. After reading this what do you think?

Immediately after the 40 day Showdown In The Desert with the devil, Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit and began his public ministry teaching in the synagogues. He then went to Nazareth where he had been brought up and on the Sabbath went to the synagogue. He took the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and after reading the text, He boldly announced “today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing”.

Along with the scriptural narrative of this event from Luke chapter 4, this post includes a powerful depiction of this scene from The Chosen, a multi-season TV series on the life of Christ first released in 2019. This show is based on scripture and historical events, but utilizes artistic license to help us imagine what it may have been like to be near Jesus. If you are interested, the first 3 seasons of the show are available on YouTube, Amazon Prime, and through The Chosen App.

In 2002 well known Christian author, Philip Yancey, published a book titled “The Jesus I Never Knew”. He explains the reason he wrote this book as follows:

“I am not writing a book about Jesus because he is a great man who changed history. I am drawn to Jesus, irresistibly, because he positioned himself as the dividing point of life — my life. According to Jesus, what I think about him and how I respond will determine my destiny for all eternity.”

This post includes a chapter from the book titled “Showdown in the Desert”, a profound meditation on the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert tempted by the devil before He began His public ministry.

This I Believe is an organization engaging people in writing and sharing essays describing the core values that guide their daily lives. Over 125,000 of these essays, written by people from all walks of life, have been heard on public radio and featured in weekly podcasts. The project is based on the popular 1950s radio series of the same name hosted by Edward R. Murrow.

In 2007 the musician, Mary Chapin Carpenter, suffered a pulmonary embolism which led to her depression. This post contains her moving essay in which she recounts a small act of kindness that was the catalyst for her healing. It is a beautiful story and a reminder to us all of the transforming power of kindness.

A few days ago I came across an excerpt from a memoir written by Heather Kopp titled Sober Mercies. It struck me how easy it is to lose our way when we think we have God figured out. It can lead to an arrogance which Jesus detested. In fact the harshest words of Jesus were directed to the religious leaders of his day. The good news is that we can find our way again by returning to the throne of grace with humility, reverence, and trust. May the words of this post be a blessing to you this day.

On September 14th I attended my 50th high school reunion. I had missed the 40th reunion so had not seen the vast majority of my 175 former classmates for 20 years. It was a poignant gathering for many of us, as perhaps it will be our last.

After picking up our name tags we passed a table with two dozen white paper bags containing small lights with names printed on them, a tribute to those no longer with us. I saw the name Anne Stevens who I had a long chat with at the 30th anniversary, Kristi Stetson, my neighbor growing up, and Bobby Adams, a former basketball teammate. I then noticed Glenn Hoit, which triggered a moving memory of a two year journey Glenn shared with several classmates, friends, and family through emails as he battled pancreatic cancer.

Glenn’s wife, Terry, has graciously allowed me to share excerpts of these emails in the hope that those who read this post will be encouraged and touched by his words.

In the introduction of J.B. Phillips book, Your God Is Too Small, Phillips writes: “If it is true that there is Someone in charge of the whole mystery of life and death, we can hardly expect to escape a sense of futility and frustration until we begin to see what He is like and what His purposes are.” We all have a tendency to try to contain God in a box of our own understanding, but He can’t be caged, for He is far more magnificent, wonderful, awesome, loving, and merciful than our minds are able to grasp, and that is a great thing.

All of us experience worry, anxiety, and fear in this life. Jesus confirmed this would be the case but assures us that we don’t need to be crippled by these worries. In fact the day before his death He said to his disciples (John 16:33), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

This post is a moving 9 minute video by Jill Briscoe reflecting on her near death experience on 9/11 on an airplane in which she encountered the peace of God in the midst of great anxiety. May her reflections on her experience be an encouragement for us when we face troubles in our own lives.

In his letter to the Colossians Paul makes this astounding claim about Jesus Christ:

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. (Colossians 2:15-20)

This post includes a wonderful sermon by Andy Cook probing this mind blowing claim that all of creation points to Jesus.

Another moving essay by Brian Doyle about attending an AA meeting with a friend at a small town firehouse, one of thousands of rooms across America that host these meetings. Brian writes of what he witnessed, “It seemed to me that they were great because they knew they were not great, healthy because they knew they were ill, admirable because they knew they were not admirable at all by the measures of the real world, as another man called the world outside the room in the firehouse.”

A few weeks ago after 14 days with Covid I finally tested negative. Although much like a flu I did experience a physical dullness that carried over to a spiritual dullness. When I began to regain my sense of smell and taste, I rediscovered an old book published in 1974 titled “A Touch of Wonder” by Arthur Gordon. I remember first reading it nearly 50 years ago and being moved by stories from the author’s life. The book is divided into 8 chapters by various gifts: the gift of caring, shared wisdom, self-discovery, faith, bright encounters, awareness, adaptability, and life.

This book was a balm for my spiritual dullness. The author’s simple yet profound stories encouraged me to recall, with gratitude, meaningful moments from my own life.