Tradition is not a neutral word. Like college football, or Jesus, or anything political, it evokes a strong emotion, reflecting how traditions have played out in our lives. I, too, have had a love-hate relationship with traditions over the past few years. The following article was first … [Read more...] about Tweaking Tradition, Part 1
Christmas
The Special Catastrophe of the Christmas Story
Christmas causes the worn-out world to pause for a moment. All of earth takes a deep breath and celebrates the coming of the King. It recalls the familiar story in precise detail. Uncomfortably pregnant Mary traveling per government mandate, no vacancy at the inn, the impromptu maternity ward in … [Read more...] about The Special Catastrophe of the Christmas Story
Rushing Joy
Confession: Black Friday, Small-Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday are all in the books for this year. And my Christmas tree still isn’t up. This is primarily due to my new normal with heart failure. I used to spend weeks decorating, including three trees and a ridiculous number of seasonal … [Read more...] about Rushing Joy