Anyone who has witnessed the birth of a baby knows what absolute love can look like. My last two children were 40+ hour failed attempts at home births yet despite the seemingly endless hours of pain and frustration with meddling doctors, something magical happened...
We read in Luke 1:29 that when Mary received the news about the impending birth she was “perplexed,” or “troubled.” Dare we say that Mary was just a little fearful? And when Joseph is brought in on the plan he was told, “Do not be afraid.” It sounds so simple, but it...
Where do you live? Do you live in a big city, surrounded by lights and people? Do you live out in the country, miles away from your closest neighbour? Do you live in large, modern, bright home? Or do you live in a simple dwelling with just enough room? What about your...
There are many calls that compete for our response—especially this time of year. “Do you hear what I hear?” One is the call to the mall. Each year, holiday pilgrims travel well-worn paths of guilt, stress and debt in search of the perfect gift. They’ll know if it’s...
Sometimes things happen that you just keep inside. It just bubbles out, whether you want it to or not, whether folks will believe you or not, whether it makes sense or not. You just have to tell it. What would you have done if you were them? There you are minding your...
From Bethlehem you can see a hill. Herod the Great built it, about 20 years before Jesus’ birth. Herod took a high hill and ordered a palace built on top. He then had rock piled around it, making it bigger and more majestic. He built it luxurious, a summer palace. He...
If someone were to ask you, “What is your God like?”, what would you say? Would you say, “God is love” or “God is omnipotent”? Many of the stories of Advent give the answer, “God is the one who interrupts our lives.” Elizabeth and Zechariah, Joseph and Mary, the...
Even as I read those words two pieces of music go through my head. One is from the Messiah, a powerful chorus with the different voices coming in and out singing this verse over and over. The other is a simple little tune I learned in IVCF in my University days...
And in despair I bowed my head “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men.” Sometimes, amidst the scandal and tragedy we read about in the news, amidst the personal trials we face, and the...
One of my favourite hymns is Christus Paradox – in it, UCC minister and hymnwriter Sylvia Dunstan captures the beauty and mystery of how the holy and the human meet in Jesus Christ: “You, Lord, are both lamb and shepherd. You, Lord, are both prince and slave…...
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