When it comes to Christmas, what do you believe? It’s like it happened yesterday. I woke up Christmas morning. It was still dark outside. No one else was awake in the house. I made my way from my bedroom, through the living room, to the dining room where my family… Read More »Yes, I Believe in Santa Claus
As Christmas approaches, does the absence of loved ones color the season with shades of blue? It’s a song that’s part of my early childhood memories. I’m sure I remember it because both of my parents always listened to music and my father tended to sing along. Given my parent’s… Read More »A Blue Christmas
As I drove down a familiar street one evening, traffic began to slow….then crawl….then stop and start at a hesitant snail’s pace. I checked the time. It was nearly 9:00 PM. I wondered if there was an accident up ahead. Then I remembered the likely cause of the delay. I… Read More »Keeping Christ in Christmas, Part 4: Stories of Hope for those Marginalized
I’m sure it will come as no surprise to anyone that I follow news about religion very closely. In fact, I receive daily email alerts and summaries about religion in the news. While there are a variety of headlines each day, some of which are awe inspiring, there is a… Read More »Keeping Christ in Christmas, part 3: Foreigners and Their Strange Religions
For the last five years, Atlanta has been my home. In comparison to other cities in the United States, Atlanta is unique because it is so green. Often called “the city in the forest,” 36% of the city of Atlanta is made up of trees. That percentage only increases when… Read More »Keeping Christ in Christmas, part 2: Homeless Drunks
It was quite unexpected. Her mother fell on a patch of ice the week before Thanksgiving. The broken hip was a concern, but following surgery she was admitted to rehab. It seemed as though all was well. But then there were complications. She died about a week ago. The family… Read More »So, This Is Christmas …
It’s like it happened yesterday. I woke up Christmas morning. It was still dark outside. No one else was awake in the house. I made my way from my bedroom, through the living room, to the dining room where my family always placed the Christmas tree. My eyes must have… Read More »Yes, I Believe in Santa Claus
I suspect that I’m like most people. While I can see that there are many serious problems in the world, I often feel that it’s beyond my ability to change any of them. What’s one person able to do? Often, many people feel powerless in the face of the complex… Read More »The Christmas Story: Lessons from Ordinary Lives