At the Christmas assembly
On Thursday morning, Plum and I went to church together for the school assembly. Twice a year, the students from the local primary school come […]
christmas
Take time to ponder
We often complain about how busy we get around Christmas time, but if you read the biblical account in Luke 2, you’ll notice that it […]
Jesus Without Tinsel (A 7-Year-Old Doesn’t Get a Christmas Tree)
In 1939 Eugene was 7 years old. And his mother decided they would not get a Christmas tree. She was a woman of conviction and had seen […]
Making Christmas Meaningful
Christmas is like water. It can be a great source of nourishment—but it can also drown you. The beauty can be eclipsed by a distracted […]
Drawing Advent and Christmas
I am by no means an artist. In fact it’s only in the past number of months that I’ve begun putting pencil to paper – […]
Holy Awkwardness
“Travelling Christmas carols!” my friend Faye announced. “I saw it in a movie once and I think our church should try it.”
Christmas Alone
It was my first Christmas alone and my internal landscape was as bleak as leafless trees against a grey sky. There was no warmth or comfort that year.
Powerful Love
Joseph’s love for Jesus was different. Not less, just a different kind of love. Mary carried Jesus inside her for nine months. She knew he was as much her flesh as he was God’s Son. Joseph’s love, however, is the tremendous, powerful love of adoption.
Not Just Baby Jesus
My two rural churches will open their doors to a good number of visitors this Christmas Eve. As our context becomes more and more secular and un-churched, there is a growing challenge for us to convey more than a partial story of the greatest event in history.
Two Christmases
There are two Christmases. One is the Christian Christmas and the other is the secular Christmas. This winter festival still carries the Christmas name, and, for nostalgic reasons, still holds to many traditions. This is the tricky part for Christians.
If You Make It About Presents, Guess What?
I think we all want Christmas to be awesome. Filled with awe. And as I drive through the neighbourhoods and see multi-coloured lights going up […]
A King is born!
Disclaimer: I’m writing this in the morning of the day Baby Cambridge will probably be born but he/she hasn’t arrived yet. As a Music Director, […]
Saturday – What did you give for Christmas?
Prayer: In the Begining O LORD, was the Word. The Word was with You, O LORD. And the Word was You O Lord. Allelujah. Read […]
The end is near?
As I sit to offer you a word of encouragement today, I don’t know where to begin. So much has happened and converged around this […]
Are we ready for Christmas?
Today day was simple and quiet. I am still in recovery from a nasty virus but I figure by the weekend I’ll be 100%. I’ve […]
Making the most of the season
As a follower of Jesus, you know that the month of December, at least in North America, is unlike any other time of year: for […]
An Open Letter to Rod Stewart
Dear Mr. Stewart, I just have to open this letter by saying I am a huge fan of your work. In particular I’ve adored ‘the […]
Are we ready for God-with-us?
When I look at the nativity scenes scattered around my house and throughout the stores I wonder at the tidiness of it all. It […]
Perpetual Immanence
Is there any other time of year that brings lingering family grievances into sharper focus? The pressure that builds around what should be a joyous time goes far beyond the stress of buying presents, attending too many parties and trying to get the house in order.
Renewal Has a Name
A part of Advent for me is trying to gain the perspective of the Hebrews as they waited in hope for their coming Messiah. I think we can learn a lot about “waiting in hope” from them.