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“O Christmas Tree” and Me
Merchants are not the only ones who begin decorating in October. When I visited the Biltmore House and Estate in Asheville, North Carolina on October 19, Christmas trees had been decorated and set in nearly every public room of the 250 room mansion built in 1895. That’s right. 1895. Traditions around the evergreen tree and branches date back centuries to the Egyptians but became popular during the reign of England’s Queen Victoria who married Prince Albert from Germany. In the 1500s, Germany began bringing evergreen trees into homes at Christmas (“O Tannenbaum”) and in the 1800s, the decorated tree tradition made its way across the ocean to America. Here’s a…
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Managing Expectations at Christmas
The words “managing expectations” resonates with me because I expect more than half my worries and disappointments can be traced to unrealistic expectations of myself, of others, and I guess it’s safe to include God in this list. Woe is me. At no time of year do my expectations collide so spectacularly with Reality as at Christmas. The year winds down and my expectations wind up. Earlier this year, I read Minnie Driver’s memoir. Her title was worth the price of the book. Managing Expectations. Those two words formed the spine of her story. Then she added flesh and bones to describe her chaotic childhood and her launch into the…
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A Few Good Friends
If you live long enough, you will lose more than a few good friends. Some while you live and others when they die. Ironically, funerals bring together family and friends who you and I may have gone years without seeing. Losing a friend, we press the pause button long enough to reflect on the way friend connections keep us going till we’re gone. Consider how God uses friends to shape our lives, as someone described friendship. “Friends for a season Friends for a reason Friends for life” F*R*I*E*N*D*S If you watched the sitcom Friends when it was the number one show on TV during its ten years, 1994–2004, Matthew Perry…
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Not All Who WONDER Are Lost
On August 15, 2022, Frederick Buechner died at age 96. My daughter said, “I thought he died a long time ago, like Shakespeare, or some of the other people you quote.” I laughed. “Authors pass but books persist.” [1] And books offer a window into the soul of their writers. Introduced to Buechner’s writing while I was in seminary, God has used his writings to help me think. About life. About doubt. About how Christians fear the challenge of thinking deeply about their faith and default to letting others think for them. Frederick Buechner, author, preacher, and theologian, shared life-giving words through books and sermons that conveyed deep faith underlying…
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The Death of Queen Elizabeth: Beneath the Robes of Royalty Lies a Human Being
Flesh and blood, bone and frailty, “for dust thou art unto dust thou shalt return” [1], this singular reality leaves even the greatest among all monarchs subject to death. And each of us as well. The reign of Queen Elizabeth II, longest in British history, extended over 70 years. During that time, 13 American presidents and 15 British prime ministers came and went, and countless world rulers have exited the stage of history. This image shows some world rulers during her 70 year reign. Her picture underneath them all, as if looking up, made me think of The Lord of the Rings. Only in this case, “One Queen to rule…
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How Far Can I Stretch the Word FRIEND?
The western Silverado introduces the character Paden (Kevin Kline) after he has been robbed, left to die in the middle of open desert, head lying on a rock, arms across his chest, and feet crossed at the ankles––a sweet repose that indicates he’s given up. Then a Good Samaritan comes along and gives him a drink of water from his canteen. First spoken line in the film, Paden whispers, “Good to meet you.” The robbers stole his horse, his boots, his clothes, leaving him wearing worn long johns––the kind with a trap door. Paden explains his circumstances. Paden: “Me, I’m riding along, minding my own business. Four cowboys come by…
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Post Script to Golden Gate Bridge Story
“Timing is God’s signature.” Back in the day, when I considered writing a Bible study, the idea struck that timing can confirm God’s guidance. Since then, repeating this statement to myself, innumerable outcomes have reinforced my belief. This morning, my inbox had a post from a guy I follow, but do not always read, and he wrote about the Golden Gate Bridge. What? Now? So, I kept reading. Sean of the South: Two Hundred & Twenty Feet Today, I’m sharing a link to his post, believing the timing might make you readers smile. Timing. God’s signature.
