-
Christmas Mourning
Grandma smelled like comfort and cold cream when she hugged me. I can’t open a bottle of Pond’s in public because one whiff reminds me that she’s not here anymore. The slip-slip of her feet on linoleum in the morning, the perfectly crustless PB&J sandwiches that she made me, her church hats and bright suits. Gone.
-
Music That Sings Christmas
That crazy Target Lady in the ads. Black Friday pepper-spraying. Commercials with luxury cars wrapped in big bows, or the spots that say jewelry equals love. It’s enough to make me don my ear muffs. Yet there are some sounds that gently pull those fuzzy ear muffs from my ears. Like the aroma of pumpkin pie, the coziness of thick blankets on a cold winter’s night, or that first sip of hot cocoa, music sets the auditory mood for Christmas.There are some tunes that are a comforting reminder to worship, to wonder, and to celebrate.
-
A Season to Savor God’s Sweetness
My “post-Halloween” candy binge actually began on October 30th, which might explain why there was half as much candy to give away on the 31st…and why I’m chomping on a Kit Kat as I type this. Halloween is the gateway to the holiday revelry of cozy indulgence. We open the windows to let the crisp Fall air in, throw on our sweaters, make the first pot of chili or chicken noodle soup, exhale, and drink in the sweetness. From mini-chocolates to candy canes; cider to eggnog, this is a season of sugar and spice.
-
Possession, Power and Politics: A Lesson from Acts 19
Some people love the Lord, others try to pimp him, but eventually, motives will be exposed and consequences meted out. Acts 19:11-20 chronicles this. As the apostle Paul spreads the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit imbues him with such power that people touch his skin with their hankies and aprons in order to bring healing to their loved ones. In Acts 19, people who belonged to Jesus were not characterized by self-aggrandizing demonstrations of healing (Paul was described as one who “preaches” in verse 13, not as a "healer," and he didn't even actively heal in verse 12), but were those who feared, praised, confessed and spread the…
-
Shadow Acts
These days, instead of napping, my son prefers to stand up in his crib in the darkness, stretch his little arms toward the window, and manipulate the blackout curtains until he gets enough light. He craves this light, not just so he can see, but so he can play. Many times over the last month or so I have heard his babbling explode into squeals of delight, and I became curious: what is he up to at bedtime? One morning I went into my son’s room to change his diaper, and turned on the light. That’s when it clicked. He raised his hands and feet in the air, and looked…
-
Golden Calves (and Arms and Faces…)
My pastor is preaching through the book of Acts, and this Sunday he zeroed in on Paul’s address to the Athenians in Acts 17:16-34. When Pastor Jon preaches, I usually try to duck, as his exhortations tend to give way to thought-provoking, heart-exposing conviction and life change. He got me again, with this question: “what are you building to save you?"
-
Bringing Sacred Back
When does life become sacred? Two weeks ago, I sat aghast while watching the evening news. A local man, with a history of domestic violence towards his loved ones, kidnapped his two sons and drowned them in cold blood. Days later, again on the local news, a local father and stepmother were arrested for negligent homicide. They punished their 10-year old son by making him stand for 5 days in front of a window of an unconditioned room during Dallas’ record heat. They wanted to discipline him for bed wetting.
-
Wordless Wednesday: Sanctuary
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. This week, in appreciation of one of my favorite bloggers, we get to reflect on the simple reverence of the following photo. This sanctuary is rooted in an historic mission on the tip of Manhattan, and breathes worship, hope, and shelter. It embodies James 2:1-13. "Mercy triumphs over judgment." Enjoy the rest and silence. (Click here to see the photo.)
-
The Riots, The Help, and the S & P
What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? Or fester like a sore— And then run? Does it stink like rotten meat? Or crust and sugar over— like a syrupy sweet? Maybe it just sags like a heavy load. Or does it explode? – Langston Hughes, “Harlem“ I find it ironic, the juxtaposition of seemingly unrelated recent events; riots in London, The Help (a New York Times bestseller) adapted for the big screen, the S & P downgrade, the reemergence of terms like “tarbaby,” and yet another article on the plight of single Black women. So much is coming up to the…
-
Honey Dos Part Two: Advice to Newlywed Wives
Last post, I gave advice to newlywed husbands; a kind of “cheat-sheet” to avoid pitfalls that some spouses (myself included) have fallen into. I received some great feedback, and a challenge to dedicate a post on giving advice to newlywed wives. Challenge accepted! (A frustrated commenter critiqued my last post by saying (I’m paraphrasing here) that a list of dos and don’ts cannot sum up the complexities of marital love and commitment. I presumed this was a given, so his comment caused me to realize that it’s worth emphasizing that this post is not a do-this-and-your-marriage-will-be-perfect formula, but pithy words of wisdom based on Biblical mores and life experience. It’s…