Since my family leans toward the dramatic, we carry on a running gag which started when our three sons were teens and still repeats itself when we’re all together. After there’s been dinner conversation for a few minutes, any one of our now-adult sons will pretend to be greatly insulted (almost any excuse will do). The “offended” party wipes his mouth, throws down his napkin and pushes back his chair to leave, saying, “You know what? I think I’ve lost my appetite.” This never fails to get a laugh out of us—but in real life, it wouldn’t be much fun to experience such an awkward Continue Reading

Peeking through our front window on Christmas Eve, you’d have seen our clan of fourteen gathered around the table, then the piano, then the Christmas tree to celebrate the birth of Christ (and, to borrow a favorite line from “A Christmas Story,” plunge into the occasion’s “unbridled ecstasy”). Said clan currently includes kids ages seven, five, three (two cousins) and infant (two more cousins), so you can imagine the level of emotion in the room---sweet moments like the toddlers smothering their baby cousin with kisses, along with the feverish anticipation of opening gifts. Despite Continue Reading

This time of year, I like to turn out all the lights in the evening except the ones on the Christmas tree. I sit quietly, letting the soft, white brightness draw me in. During the day, I can hardly tell if those little lights are turned on—but at night, they completely change the atmosphere. The darkness of these longest nights of the year serves as a backdrop for the irresistible beauty of light. Spiritually speaking, that’s exactly what happened when Christ came into our world. Hundreds of years before the Son of God came to earth in the womb of a young Jewish woman, Isaiah Continue Reading

Let’s play a quick game of work association. When I say “thanksgiving,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Probably a table laden with a juicy roast turkey surrounded by all the fixings, right? I enjoy poultry of all kinds, and I’m looking forward to another turkey feast this year. It might be smoked or brined or plain-old roasted, but however the bird is prepared, you won’t hear me referring to Thanksgiving Day as “turkey day.” Why? Because taking “thanks” out of the holiday’s name shifts our focus away from gratitude toward consumerism. It distracts our already Continue Reading