When I was growing up, my mom always kept an Advent wreath on our table. It was a simple candelabra, round in shape, which held four candles. They were usually white, but some years she used red and/or green. Every Sunday in December, she would light one, then two, then three, and finally all four…
Recently, a pastor I know quoted this Jon Acuff wisdom, which seems pertinent in anticipation of all the upcoming family gatherings this time of year: “We fear that if people truly knew us, they wouldn’t love us, but the truth is if people really knew us, they could truly love us.” For many of us,…
The holiday season is quickly approaching and, unfortunately, opportunities to fall into the traps of need-to, should-do, must-have, and must-do come with it. Trying to keep up with everything we think we should do during the holiday season just leads to stress and steals the joy of the holidays. While we may not be able…
I remember crawling under the Christmas tree as a small child, before the packages were in place. Those first few years we didn’t have lights on the tree, we had a spotlight under the plate glass window shining on the carefully placed ornaments. I remember the warmth as I edged closer to the light. I…
During a Christmas break in college, I worked in a collectibles shop. I didn’t last long. See, I’m what some might consider clumsy. Think Lucy Ricardo knocking over porcelain figurines, but without the laugh track. Put Steve Urkel in charge of hand-blown glass ornaments repeating the “Did I do that?” punchline when they fall to…
When I was a child, the day after Thanksgiving was spent shopping for only one thing: that year’s Christmas tree. My parents took the two bench seats out of our minivan, and my sister and I climbed in the back, thrilled at the rebelliousness of riding in a vehicle not only without seatbelts but without…