Several years ago, I stumbled across Mary Robinette Kowal’s site as she was preparing to send a piece of mail (through the post office) every single day throughout the month of February. Then … she challenged people to do the same. Because who doesn’t love wonderful

We had a wonderful little Christmas morning tradition in our home. At some point, after all of us had gone to sleep, Mom quietly came into our bedrooms and put a very stuffed Christmas stocking at the end of our beds. There were little toys and

The spirit of Christmas can do amazing things to humanity. While we focus on buying gifts and working to make memories for our children, we often forget that it is the smallest things that we remember through the years. The songs, the story, family, laughter

One of the greatest blessings a pastor’s family receives is the generosity of the people in the church and it is magnified during the holiday season. Cash gifts that came in helped Dad finish paying for Christmas and end of the year bills. More often

As I clicked through pictures I’ve scanned, I was pleasantly surprised that we actually had Christmas photos from several different years, but then I saw this and my heart filled to overflowing. I don’t often get emotionally reminiscent about people who have died … I tend

As a Methodist pastor in the 1960s and 70s, Dad moved every five or six years. Well, we got to the point where we began to recognize Dad’s sermons. Sunday lunch was always a lot of fun when the three of us kids … and

My mother worked to make Christmas joyous for the family, but it wasn’t an easy task. Once Thanksgiving was over, things turned into a full-out race to the end of the year in our house. Both Mom and Dad were busy … with more programs

This last week has been tough for those of us who believe the best about humanity. There’ve been a lot of hits. I’m always disappointed when I watch people attacking others … even when they believe they’re in the right. Bullying bullies isn’t any better