Dentistry and Dogs
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … The frost was still upon the windowsill / As an hour passed for me and Mary’s dogs / Their adventures in the woods, their lonely times / Their happy glances into their human’s eyes
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Faithful Friday – St. Timothy
Lyn Wilson St. Timothy the Evangelist was born in Lystra, a city in Asia Minor. He was born to a Jewish mother, Eunice, a devout follower of Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 1:5). His father was Greek. The Apostle Paul discipled St.Timothy, who, by all accounts, was a devout young man. He was praised for his […]
Read MoreMethodist Pecans
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … Connie-the-Haircut-Queen sells us pecans / Every Christmas, good Methodist pecans / A fundraiser sponsored by the women’s club / To be baked into cookies and pies for Christmas Day
Read MoreFaithful Friday: Macarius the Great
By Sarah Levesque … Macarius the Great, also known as Macarius the Egyptian or Macarius the Elder, was one of the Desert Fathers of the early Church. He was born around the turn of the fourth century in Egypt, the son of a Christian. Originally a camel driver, Macarius was ordained a priest and became a hermit, following the words of an angel that appeared to him twice.
Read MoreEach Birthday is a Step in the Right Direction
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … A birthday is not the beginning of something new / But rather part of a continuing story / From its Prologue and its Chapter One / Through the dark leaves of Mirkwood and beyond
Read MoreClaimed
By Sarah Levesque … Isn’t it strange how big a difference the word “my” makes? Someone recently asked me, “When the Psalm says ‘God, my God, how awesome is your name,’ isn’t that redundant?” I struggled to give a good response; it was hard to put into words on the spot. But it’s the idea of claiming God as our own. He isn’t just a god, like Zeus or Osiris or Odin. He is my God. I have claimed Him.
Read MoreFaithful Friday: Tatiana of Rome
By Ian Wilson … The wicked minister Ulpian had the saintly lady arrested and brought to the temple of Apollo, attempting to force her to sacrifice to the false god. Instead, Tatiana prayed, and the idol of Apollo shattered with a terrible noise. Some witnesses claimed they saw a shadowy being fleeing from the statue.
Read MoreA Russian Christmas Card
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … I allowed the time, the year, the day to slip / And so I can only imagine a card for you / A Russian Christmas card in paper and paints / Of Christmas scenes from a happy golden time….
Read MoreSilencing Rooster Cogburn
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … True Grit appeared on the Orwellian telescreen the other night, and I found myself watching that wonderful film yet again. The climax comes when…
Read MoreThe Turning of the Year
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … Not minding my own business I urged a tree / Yes, their children are gone / Yes, their children are grown / But the Christ-Child / is here
Read MoreGuardians Of Atlanta Episode 2 – Crusader: The White Knight
By Joshua David Ling … The rearing of William Avery was the best that it could be. / From the age of three he learned to sing in four part harmony. / At five, he learned to fence and soon he learned to read and write. / But the Bible was his one true joy in morning and at night.
Read MoreThe Stable is Wherever You Are
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” … My friend prays at the Stable each Christmas Eve / In statio at St. Michael’s, waiting for the Light / (But indolent half-pagan that I am / I want an early bed on any night)
Read MoreMerry Christmas
How long does Christmas last? Read on…
Read MoreA Little Child Shall Lead Them
By Ruth Amsden … Ebenezer Scrooge, a “tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner,” appears upon introduction to be beyond the reach of love, human or divine. Scrooge is an object lesson for St. Paul’s exhortation to St. Timot
Read MoreFaithful Friday: Great Martyr Anastasia
By T.K. Wilson … The Great Martyr Anastasia was born in Rome, the daughter of a pagan and a secret Christian. During the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian, she ministered to those in prison, slipping out in disguise, keeping this from her pagan husband. She used her wealth to free the captives and also, using her skill as an herbalist, cured many wounds and diseases, hence her title Deliverer from Poisons, as she knew how to reverse poisonings.
Read MoreTwo Verses in the Eternal Hymn
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … A river flows out into all that is / And with it your music across the universe / To sing the happy beginnings of all things / To celebrate the holiness of being
Read MorePrepare for the King
By Amanda Pizzolatto … It began with a prophecy uttered long ago / Bringing hope to a people that fell from grace / That the Son of God would come to Earth / And not only show us His heavenly Face / But also offer Himself up for our sins / So the Heavenly gates would open to the human race
Read MoreFaithful Friday: Hieromartyr Hilarion
by Ian Wilson … A brilliant theologian and defender of the Russian Orthodox church, Archbishop Hilarion was born Vladimir Alexievich Troitsky around the year 1885 in the Russian village of Lipitsa. He was born into a family of clergy and theologians, and followed in his father’s footsteps.
Read MoreA Gift of Omelettes
By Lawrence “Mack in Texas” Hall … We leave the comfort of a little fire / And repair to the kitchen for a morning repast / Of bacon crisp, of toast from home-baked bread / And omelettes more golden than the morning sun
Read MoreThe Evangelical Octopus
By Luke Towns … I handed my pastor the plush octopus and told him, “This is the best animal in the basket.” It was after I returned to my seat that a random thought popped into my head seemingly out of nowhere. “I want my spiritual life to be like an octopus.”
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LogoSophia Magazine 