Month: December 2013

As the Christmas season approaches and I scan both the list of people I would like to give gifts to and also my bank account balance, it is easy for me to feel discouraged. Perhaps you are experiencing a similar dilemma and wondering, as … Read more

The old prophet foretold it, the shepherds witnessed it, and Mary lived it. "In case you haven't heard, God, I'm just a young unmarried virgin." "Don't worry, I will A.C.T." "And by the way, the last time I checked, sex was required to … Read more

Tradition has a way of finding a place in many of the seasonal events in which we participate. In our family though, Christmas seems to have quite a few — from the trimming of the tree, to the Christmas dishes I set the table with, and … Read more

Last year, my son was asked to participate in leading a special "Blue Christmas" service at our church. It is held every year before the holidays to comfort those in mourning. The message emphasizes the Lord's understanding of our … Read more

Don't you love that Christmas gives us at least a month of stress-free eating and spending, followed by at least three months of stress as we try to lose the pounds and the bills we gained over the holiday? Stress is caused by our … Read more

Ernie, my husband of 37 years, died on October 10th. As we gathered in the sanctuary of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on October 19th to celebrate Ernie's life with a memorial service, there was a small … Read more

My brother-in-law, James Cameron, was dining in a restaurant in Glasgow, Scotland, when he felt that the service was not as good as it should be. "I should tell you," he warned, "that my initials are J. C., and I was born on Christmas … Read more

For a number of years, it has been the custom in our town for merchants to decorate their store windows with a certain theme during certain seasons. There have been a number of different themes over the years at different times. One day … Read more

For over twenty years, I have delivered one of the two free community newspapers in our town. They were both originally published three times a week, but that has recently been cut to two editions, undoubtedly because of diminishing … Read more

"Can you believe it!" was my immediate response as I reached for the volume control on the car radio. Release and joy started to flood my being as I drove through the streets of Greenville, South Carolina, USA, on this early fall morning. … Read more