Leaning Forward
Tis the season to make resolutions. To choose one or two things to resolve to do differently as one-year changes to the next. I’m not a big fan of resolutions,…
Year: 2023
Danny’s Firetruck
Six-year-old Ben was the first to wake up that Christmas morning. He took a look to see if it was light out yet. Mom had been explicit last night, they…
Advent 2023 – Love
When my children were young, my son Michael had a bad habit of shaking presents. We wrapped and placed unlabeled gifts under the tree well before Christmas morning. One day,…
Colors of Christmas – Gold
Our final Color of Christmas is gold and its symbolism of value. We may not be paid in gold or use gold at the local store, but the idea of…
A Pearl of Forgiveness
Pearl lives on the south edge of town in a sprawling two-room bungalow. Well, it seems sprawling to me because it’s more than what I have which is whatever open…
Advent 2023 – Joy
A match is struck, and a tiny flame bursts out. That tiny flame is used to ignite something else. During advent, the match ignites a candle. When I think of…
Colors of Christmas – Silver
What exactly is the color of silver? Except for some nuance of shading, silver shares its color with chrome and stainless steel. It is easily mimicked by tinsel. (Does…
Dewey Springs
The village of Dewey Springs is nestled somewhere between never mind and you’re lost. There’s a small cluster of buildings clad in aged wood and peeling paint. The center of…
Advent – Peace
The theme of Advent’s second week is peace. Of the four advent themes, peace often seems the most fickle and challenging to experience. Human conflicts, large and small, are frequent.…
The Colors of Christmas – Red
Red seems to be everywhere when Christmas comes around. It is the most common color for Santa’s suit thanks to Coca-Cola. Red balls, bows, and lights hang on many Christmas…
Advent 2023 – Hope
There are many traditions around Christmas. Large traditions, cultural traditions, church traditions, and family traditions. These are the things that make Christmas what it is—a reminder of things past and…
Signs of the Season
Over the past week, our home has gone through a transformation. Let’s just say, “It’s beginning to look like Christmas…” The green ivy over the window has been replaced with…