If you haven’t been thinking much about your body this Advent, I want to invite you to begin. It’s so important to truly celebrate Christmas. We can approach Christmas too lost in busy-ness, consumerism, and perfectionism, but we can also approach Christmas over-spiritually. The first Christmas happened so long ago and in a very different culture, so it can feel other-worldly to us. But your body...
Christmas Is Over And I’m Blogging About It
Monday morning we roused four kids from their beds and scuttled them out the door back to the toil, crowdedness, and humdrum of school life. There was more than just a little whining. I get it. The flip of the calendar from December to January always feels like a harsh turn to me. After being carried in the warm womb of the Christmas season—together, hopeful, expectant, and childlike—January...
Small
I hadn’t meant to say this. The words just came out.
Intoxicating
This time of year can have an inebriating effect on me. I don’t at all mean inebriating in the good sense of the word. Not the exhilarating, coming back alive sense that so many seem to experience as Christmas approaches. For me, it’s like my senses start to dull and the season turns into more of a slumber than a celebration. It’s not because I dislike Christmas. (Heck, I see Christmas...
Wait Quickly
I eat too fast. Drive too fast. Work too much. And expect too much of movies. I partly think it’s because deep inside I struggle to trust there will be enough for me. And so I grasp to make sure there is. This was also why I ran so hard for so many years after pornography and other illicit sexual connections. So it is with all of us every time we say ‘no’ to God and His Word and ‘yes’ to sinful...
What Do You Expect?
Why do so many people struggle more during the holidays? Loneliness, depression, family arguments, increased temptations, you name it—this time of year can be downright tough. But half the challenge around the holidays has less to do with our circumstances and more to do with our expectations. Expectations are TNT to holiday peace and joy. And they come at us from every direction: Advertisers...