I have a very distinct memory of Christmas growing up in Winter Haven, Florida. It involved the town’s water tower: You can see in this photo the palm trees … not much of a “wintery” feel for Christmas where I grew up. But, every year I’d climb the “world’s best climbing tree” to my perch […]

Christmas time is full of lists: Gift lists. Shopping lists. Card and decorations lists. Genealogies. Wait … you don’t keep a handy list of grandparents nearby at Christmas? I might suppose the lists of Jesus’ grandparents found in Matthew 1 and Luke 3 are overlooked by many. But, there they are setting up the telling

So I open my phone this morning and this is what I see: We knew a weather system was approaching. The weather people with the aide of many high-powered technical gizmos said “SNOW” which has turned into “sNOw.” Freezing rain and sleet, at least to start. Predicting the future is hard. Jeremiah 31:31-33 (NLT2)[31] “The

During this time of year we love to hear from distant relatives or friends, maybe through a Christmas Card or Facebook post. Here’s a Christmas Card that Mary’s cousin Elizabeth may have sent her (use your imagination!) … Here’s how the Bible tells it: “In the days of Herod there was a priest named Zechariah

Our church is closed to in-person services until January 17, 2021. That’s a “downer” for me personally. Seeing the faces (even the masked ones!) of my friends at church is so encouraging and to be able to be together means a lot. So, I’m guessing some of us are hurting. Into this disrupted Christmas I