A Tiny Tinsel Star
While cleaning house I found a tinsel star / A tiny tinsel star from long ago / When once upon a time it shone so far / Above a Christmas scene in cotton snow
Read MoreTag: Christmas
Faithful Friday: The Magi
Little indeed is known for sure about the magi who visited the child Jesus, bringing Him gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew is the only Gospel writer to mention them, detailing their visit in the second chapter of his gospel. Matthew does not call them kings, but ‘magi’ or ‘wise men’.
Read MoreThe Christmas Witch
‘Twas the week after Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring. That would be me, the sleeping creature. Everyone else was stirring. Anyway, the sound of my cell phone going to town interrupted my slumber.
Read MoreToy Trains, Grandmother’s Good China, and Children
Childhood Christmases are often the metaphorical benchmark for our present Christmases, and that won’t do. The magic of opening a package under the tree on Christmas morning is for little children; it won’t work for us and it’s not meant to.
Read MoreWhile We Search The Heavens For That Star
That star that led us to a stable long ago /
And now bathes our souls with its silver glow
A Christmas Prayer
We pray that this Christmas Day
Brings you peace,
Hope,
Love for God and Man,
Another Christmas
We bring our gifts to Mary’s fair-born Child: /
A pen, a broom, a book, a welding rod, /
A wrench, a mop, some papers neatly filed – /
Our daily labors offered up to God /
Behind the Scenes at the North Pole
“Alright everybody, listen up!” an old tontu announced. “We only have ten days until Christmas! Time to get things moving faster if we want our two month break! We were able to finish on time for December sixth and thirteenth. Great job everyone!”
Read MoreChristmas Spirit
Where has the love gone, the magic that everyone associated with Christmas? Is it because we insist that the world should be devoid of the love that Jesus Christ brings in the manger, that it should be devoid of the wonder and magic that Santa Claus brings down every chimney?
Read MoreChristmas Joy
The lakes are frozen this time of year
The carolers are out, singing of joy and cheer…
Midnight Mass Christmas Eve
All around lays a gentle silence, as if the world is holding its breath in anticipation of a momentous occasion. In sharp contrast to the silence, cold, and darkness is a church all aglow with the light of several candles as voices raise in joyous song. Jesus Christ has been born!
Read MoreThe End of Christmas
The twenty-fifth of December has come and gone. The radio stations have gone back to their regular programming. The Lifetime channel is no longer showing Christmas movies (though Hallmark will continue through January 2nd). Stores are taking down their Christmas displays. Christmas trees are showing up on the side of the road. It seems like Christmas is over.
Read MoreTradition Tours
“Hello, welcome to Tradition Tours!” the stewardess said brightly. “Thank you for choosing to travel the world with us. We have a few special guests with us today, natives of the countries we’re going to visit. Our first stop is Germany, and I’ll let our German guest take over from here.”
Read MorePeace on Earth
What is it about Christmas music that can steer our emotions so effectively? Sure, all music can do this, but I feel it most deeply with Christmas music…
Read MoreThe Country Christmas Cookie Bakeoff
I inherited the bakery about 5 years ago when my aunt passed away. I’d worked with Aunt Ginny since I was a kid. Aunt Ginny’s passion for baking fostered my love for the baking business. We have always been a family run business therefore family pride was on the line at this bake-off.
Read MoreThe Advent of Our Discontent
Everyone accuses everyone else
Of treason; they’d call each other Quislings
If they had any history, but they don’t
Only Hochhuth and Unferth on the air…
Waiting for the Messiah Someplace Else
The Magi journey through space and time
Our journey is in waiting for a star
To shine upon us all, and lead us to
The Temple where all waiting finally ends…
The Tonttu
The tonttu are a colorful race
And walk around with a dancer’s grace
Swift and silent they can move
But oh, how they can certainly groove….
The Guardian Angel
The angel didn’t know what to do; his charge was always grumpy and miserly. It seemed that he had no joy in life, no love for his fellow man. And no matter what the angel did to get his attention, which was nothing short of waving a flag in his face, he didn’t listen. The angel took his problems to God every day, hoping, praying, that God would give his charge the change of heart needed to return to God’s graces.
Read MoreCaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar
“Don’t worry Balthazar, we’ll get there shortly. But I think that if you keep asking the star how long it’s going to take, Caspar just might have a mind to turn us around and have us travel all the way back home. We wouldn’t be able to see the new King that way, will we?”
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