Christmas Warning: Whatever You Do, Don’t Read This

December 24, 2012 By 5 Comments

Seriously? Even after I warned you not to read this, you still kept going? I think this might fall into that infamous category: You might be addicted to reading blogs if.... It's Christmas! Sheesh. And here you are staring at a screen -- it may be while seated comfortably ensconced in your ergonomically optimised chair at home while sipping eggnog or you may be squinting to read this on your mobile device while sipping a latte and driving while doing some last minute shopping. [Make sure you … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Culture Tagged With: 5 Comments

Was Jesus Born Away in a Manger at Migdal Eder?

December 19, 2012 By 17 Comments

I knew the traditional nativity scene had issues. The three wise men who likely weren't three and didn't show up until two years later.  The star hovering just above the quaint wooden structure that looks more like an English countryside barn than the back end of an inn. The all-too-pristine setting after an impromptu birth. I thought I had heard it all. I even shared a take on The Christmas Message based on the traditional interpretation just a few days ago. I thought I understood the … [Read more...]

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The Christmas Message

December 17, 2012 By 4 Comments

I sat on a hillside one chilly night, out in the country where the darkness blankets the earth like a woolen comforter. Away from the city. No noise. No bustle. No blue-light specials or Black Friday deals. Just silence. Darkness. And stars. Lots of stars. And as I shivered in the dewy grass that eve, I imagined what that night must have been like, that night when that shepherd became the first to visit the newborn Jesus. Oh, I know, there was more than one shepherd on that Nazareth … [Read more...]

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Christmas Shopping: How Much Is Too Much ?

November 27, 2012 By 4 Comments

The recent rush of Christmas shopping has left me wondering how much is too much? It also reminded me of a story from Tolstoy that I read as a young boy. Yes, I was the nerdy kid reading War and Peace at the video arcade. But that's not the point. Tolstoy told the tragic tale of Pahom in the short story "How Much Land Does a Man Need." Pahom discovered a place where he could have all the land he wanted -- if only he could walk around it all in one day. "As much as you can go round on your … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Christian Living, Culture, Family Tagged With: , , , , 4 Comments