Advent, from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming”, originated somewhere around the 4th century. The practice of Advent has undergone the evolution of many traditions over time, morphing in both practice and intention to something that would be largely unrecognized today from its origins. A quick google search reveals everything from
Assuming you live within the United States, you may be feeling the not-so-subtle coma effects of tryptophan. Your kitchen may look like the scullery of a Victorian home following a dinner party. Depending on your family traditions, maybe you play pick-up football games at a local park, or maybe you
During the Civil War, a Union soldier inscribed the words to a song of uncertain origins on the wall of his prison. “I am a poor wayfaring stranger. Traveling through this world below…” The Libby Prison Hymn, as it was known for a time, was credited to this soldier even
In November of 2013, I downloaded a book on my kindle. We Were Soldiers Once…And Young by Joe Galloway. I knew the story, or a version of it at least, made by Hollywood and portrayed in part by Mel Gibson and Sam Elliot. I remember being struck with the
It is late afternoon and the sun is sinking lower and casting long shadows down the draws and crevices along the Owyhee mountains. Out in the valley, sunlight still covers everything, but down the steep slope below me, darkness has already begun to stretch out its fingers and get a
It was the end of the day and I was sitting on the couch and I was tired. My wife and I had just completed the hostage negotiation process that is bedtime and there was quiet in the house. I had decided to fritter away a few precious moments on
I used to sit and watch the steam rise off my coffee. This was particularly evocative on cold mornings in South Africa where many houses have no central heating. I would sit there and watch the thick steam quickly thin and disappear into the air and I would think on
It’s 4:00 pm on a Saturday and your lawn is looking an inch or two away from the HOA phone call. You are tired. You had a tough week full of tough decisions, hectic schedules, and strained relationships. You want it to look good for Sunday. You want
I just started a renovation project in our house. The design, function, and final look of the project have occupied space in my mind. It isn’t always there, but I always come back to it. I plan and scheme and dream of what I want to do. All these
Recently a verse came to my mind. Psalm 43:5. It sums up my feelings lately. I feel cast down. Like a man charging windmills, I fight at nothing and everything. There is a fog between me and the world. I am anxious. Admittance is key to getting help but
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… Isaiah 53:3 “No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid, but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the stomach, the same restlessness, the
There is beauty and symmetry in mathematics. A sum, a quotient, the difference, an equation; if done correctly all will balance out. It is harmonious and balanced; a spot of perfection in an imperfect world. When I was in high school, I enjoyed certain aspects of math but often failed
