“The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.” —French philosopher Henri Bergson For several years running, my sister and I played a little game to ease the boredom of our family’s four-and-a-half hour drive from West…
The messiness of Christmas
Often, Christmas is a time of making sure everything is just right. We sing of joy coming to the world, we read poetry of how stockings are hung by the chimney with care, and we mail Christmas cards imprinted with…
A thrill of hope? Reflecting on the true meaning of Christmas with my sister
When my sister, Olivia, graduated from college in 2018, the former mayor of our hometown was the commencement speaker. As she sat in her graduation robe, bobby pins stuck in her hair to keep her graduation hat from falling off,…
How you connect apocalypse to Advent affects how you interact with the news
Few activities fuel a connection with Advent like reading the news. Stories about weather catastrophes, wars and rumors of wars have many Christians across the theological and political spectrum wondering if the apocalypse is near and perhaps finding themselves praying…
In the midst of history-engendered pessimism, don’t forget the hope
History books are full of horror stories. As we look back with perspective, we read embarrassing tales of incompetent and foolish people, fearful and gullible nations, evil and egocentric leaders, entire eras that seem to have been characterized by ignorance, avarice, selfishness, myopia and bigotry. We can…
Grieving and glimmers of hope mark United Methodist breakup status
When tiny but energetic Bartlett United Methodist Church in central Texas began to talk about the denomination’s split, member Tami Baker said she felt “a sense of dread and then grief as talk of the pending split increased.” Further into…
Joni Eareckson Tada keeps the faith through a lifetime of ministry
At the age of 17, Joni Eareckson Tada made what would turn out to be a life-changing decision. She dived into shallow water in the Chesapeake Bay, which resulted in paralysis throughout most of her body. Six decades later, Tada…
The grace of wildness: Reflections on a new year
The church was full of birds; at least it was when I was there. In January 2005, for about a week, I went to mass at 5:00 every morning in the Catholic church across the street from the Mekong River…
This Christmas, the Holy Spirit sounds like an oxygen machine to me
Don’t let my name fool you. One of my most redeeming qualities is being a realist, often named by others as pessimist. In the spirit of that title, or misplaced naming, I am unsure how I will stomach Christmas this…