The wrong Jesus: A Christmas Meditation

He’s almost certainly not exactly who you think he is, and to know him, you have to be open to change.

Why we need Christmas

The seasons of Advent and Christmas are my favorite times of year when I let them be. I’m pretty much a grump by nature, so the joy of the holiday season doesn’t come naturally to me. My mood beginning in late October and early November is one of fussiness, because it is then that I […]

Competing Christian visions of America

I have been writing in this blog space for over seven years, and a very small number of people have faithfully and lovingly followed much of what I’ve said over that time. I write for many reasons, but primarily it’s one of the few ways you can really get to know someone short of having […]

The point of Christmas: draw near

I’m worn out and depressed. I’ve been going through a lot of changes lately, and I’m not happy with many of the results. I lost a job and am adjusting to a new one with a long commute, and subsequently I moved apartments to cut down on said commute, so I’ve been packing and unpacking […]

The constant prodigal

I’ve been out of work for a little over a month, and it sucks. It’s not the same thing as being retired because you have no money to do things, plus my peers are all gainfully employed with (most of them) full families of their own, so it’s awfully lonely for me. A lot of […]

Healing costs you nothing: My journey through life – Epilogue, Part I

A couple thoughts occurred to me that are important to share after I wrapped up this autobiographical mini-series on how Christianity healed me. The first thought is that I didn’t emphasize that Jesus’ heart to heal you and me either emotionally, physically, or spiritually is not dependent on anything from you in return. For real. […]

Out from the ashes of myself: My journey through life – Part VI

One of the many things they don’t prepare you for as a kid is the applause and affirmation to stop. You don’t win many awards or get recognition or compliments or words of encouragement when you’re an adult. And if you’ve started to rely on those things as a child without realizing it, their absence […]