Tag: Christmas

Still Chasing the Joy?

The joy candle broke a few years back. You can see it up there in the picture. And I keep forgetting to buy a new one. As if a trip to the store could simply replace the broken joy. …

Letting hope slow you down

My kids are hoping that it is going to snow; the type of Southern snow that shuts down the whole city — especially the schools. I am half listening to their predictions as I race around the house …

When peace comes like a snowstorm

We will be talking about it for years to come. The snowstorm that blew into the South on only the second week of Advent. The storm that no one saw coming. It fell from the sky in huge …

The music of Hope – First in our Advent Series

A missing tuxedo shirt, black pants that suddenly seem to have shrunk,  and a cello banging around in the back of my van with the basketballs can only mean one thing. It is concert season! Holidays here we …

Advent in a coffee shop

She wants to see him. That’s it. That’s all she wants. He tries to get her to say more. An actual present, please? He persists. She wipes the corners of her eyes and leans in close to the …

On Christmas Eve — the final piece in our Advent series

It’s looking a lot like this around here today. Christmas Eve and I can’t even find my desk. There are still gifts to be wrapped and children whining about not having anything to do (are you kidding me?). …

The Truth about Joy — the Fourth in our Advent Series

The joy candle is broken. You can see it up there in the picture. And I keep forgetting to buy a new one. As if a trip to the store could simply replace the broken joy. I believe it …

Seeking love — the third in our Advent series

It won’t be much longer now. The days are ticking off the calendar at  a rapid-fire kind of speed. My boys rejoice as we light the third candle and the store clerk at Walmart sends me into a full on …

Seeking Peace — the second in our Advent series

The second Sunday in Advent blows in cold and rainy here in the South. And it seems that the sun never quite wakes up as we gather in the sanctuary; cold rain beating hard on the roof and near darkness …

Seeking Hope — the first in a series of Advent posts

Advent is defined as this season of ‘expectant waiting and preparation for Jesus’ birth’, for the coming of Christmas. Makes it sound holy, quiet and serene, doesn’t it? But really? Really, we are entering  a season of crazy, busy doing. Anybody with …