By Scott Dickison I recently learned of a tradition in the Anglican Church that celebrates the final Sunday before Advent as “Stir-Up Sunday.” Apparently the name “Stir-Up Sunday” comes from the opening words of the collect for the day in…
National Welcoming Week
Recently I went to an Iftar. This is the evening meal eaten during Ramadan by Muslims after the sun goes down. In Houston, where 25% of the population is foreign born, it is easy to become friends with someone from another faith,…
What makes a Christmas card a Christmas card?
Since about 10 days before Thanksgiving, our festive household has received a regular collection of colorful greeting cards appropriate for the various holidays that occur during the last six weeks of the year. The first to come were the greetings…
Thanksgivingization
By Alan Rudnick It seems every year retailers are pushing holiday seasons earlier and earlier. I walked through the home improvement giant, Lowe’s the day after Halloween and saw Christmas decorations, holiday goodies and Christmas lights already on sale. Was…
Paying our dues
By Roger Lovette On this Thanksgiving week I remember that old couple who were members of the rural church I served. Once a month, without fail, they would hobble in and hand me a check. They always said the same…
Not particularly grateful
By Molly T. Marshall Travel recently took me to Andalusia, ancestral home of Flannery O’Connor in Milledgeville, Ga. I had not visited the home in person, but only through the ways in which her novels and short stories were grounded…
Shopping and the Erosion of Sabbath
I’ve grown accustomed each Thanksgiving to shaking my head in disbelief at how early stores open up the day after and how many people are willing to get up in the middle of the night to get the best deals….
Thanksgivingization
It seems every year retailers are pushing holiday seasons earlier and earlier. I walked through the home improvement giant, Lowe’s the day after Halloween and saw Christmas decorations, holiday goodies, and Christmas lights already on sale. Was that too early…
Not about glitter, glamour, and gluttony
Once again this year, the turkey is now soup, the rolls are finished, and the freezer is much emptier than it was this time last week. It was a grand holiday and always has been my family’s favorite. I wonder…
Name Them One by One
As a child growing up in the rural church, I remember singing the old hymn “Count Your Blessings,” written by Johnson Oatman Jr. in 1897. The words of the song urged us to “Count your blessings, name them one by…