Grandma’s tree was different. Unlike almost everyone else, She didn’t care if an ornament was ugly, Made of bits and bobs, or falling apart. The only merit that mattered to her Was the giver or crafter who made it, The amount of personal touch or heart They had poured into it—that’s what made it, To …
Key of promise, come, O Messiah, Promised one: To open every eye sin blinds, To loose the prisoner from his binds, To open each lock of despair, To free us from each heavy care, And then be found at last, Inside our heart's lock clasped, As we in yours are ever treasured With greatest love …
Madeline L’Engle in her book WinterSong writes, “As we move into Advent we are called to listen, something we seldom take time to do in this frenetic world of overactivity. But waiting for birth, waiting for death—these are listening times, when the normal distractions of life have lost their power to take us away from …
Continue reading ‘Tis the Season: Eight Devotionals, Poetry, and Picture Books for Christmas
Another December is upon us, and as I've done each year for more than a decade, I'm reviewing a few Christmas books I discovered in the past twelve months. I hope you find some new treasures to enjoy. My two favorites were Christmas Farm and The Carpenter's Gift, both lovely little books about Christmas trees. …
Ten years and 59 books later, my Christmas blogging tradition that began in 2013 continues with another literary December tribute, bringing my Christmas book review total up to 65. I hope you find some new gems for your Christmas library in the reviews below. The Legend of the Poinsettia / retold and illustrated by Tomie …
Continue reading A Decade of Decembers: Christmas Legends & More To Enjoy This Season
Christmastime is one of my favorite seasons to visit my local library. I love bringing home a bag full of books every few weeks full of new Christmas stories to try, gathered from browsing the bookshelves, reading reviews, or asking the librarians for suggestions. Last year my librarians gave me a list of their favorite …
Christmas is the most unusual birthday the world celebrates for many reasons. One reason that became more apparent to me as I studied the Bible this year is Christmas’ connection to the image of Christ as the Lamb of God. My discoveries of this image followed something of a journey, as you’ll see below. The …
“Do you think I need my scarf? I think I’ll take it anyway, just in case.” The dining room was abustle with the donning of coats and shoes. I tugged on my boots, and then we were headed outside. I climbed into the truck’s backseat, clutching a bag of knitting in case the conversation dragged. …
