For the first time in three and half years, I am a day late posting here. Yesterday was Christmas Day, and our house was full of joy and people until well after sunset. My husband and I sat in front of the fire last night in the glorious afterglow of sweet fellowship with family and dear friends, and I was not inclined to interrupt that moment by hopping on the old laptop. I implore that you, my friends, will allow me that moment of respite. We have come to the end of Advent remembering the humble birth of Christ, our Savior. That night when the angels sang, “Glory to God…

Last night we took our ten-year-old grandson out to a Japanese hibachi restaurant. Our cook was particularly entertaining, and at the end of the meal he asked the children around the table if they wanted to play catch. They shared grins and shrugged shoulders and nodded. He proceeded to chop some scrambled egg into small bites and, one by one, lofted those tidbits into their open mouths. To everyone’s delight most of them were caught quite easily, and there was laughter and cheering for each success. Obviously, the cook’s skill was required, but the young ones also had to watch carefully and move their heads to make the trick work.…

I spent most of the day yesterday in the glorious afterglow of a really good party. The night before my husband and I hosted our annual Christmas gathering and gift exchange for some of my co-workers and their spouses and friends. Good food, laughter, and genuine care for each other makes for a grand time. One of the things we enjoy most about this event is having each guest take a look back at the year and come up with a word that succinctly describes their personal experience. This has proved to be a rich time of acknowledging God’s goodness, faithfulness and mercy in the midst of our human journey.…

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” This well-known comment upon the human condition is typically referenced amidst the challenge of getting what one wants in spite of difficulty or opposition. It indicates that strength and focus of desire can overcome almost any obstacle. In our everyday lives, it typically comes down to what we give first priority. If it’s important enough to us, we give all our energy and resource to making it happen. When we live only for ourselves, we cajole, manipulate, dismiss opposing opinion, and neglect responsibility in order to realize a momentary gratification. This kind of desire ultimately implodes, leaving a wasteland in the heart. When…