Hanukkah, the Jewish holiday also known as the Festival of Lights, began this year on Saturday at sundown and continues for eight days. It commemorates the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem after the Jewish rebel army, the Maccabees, revolted and regained control of Judea from the Seleucid Greeks. This happened about 165 years […]

All throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites were admonished to remember. To remember who God is. To reflect on His wonders and His mighty deeds. To speak of Him to their children and grandchildren. To never, ever forget. That command is true for us all these millennia later. We are to cease striving and know […]

A phone conversation with a friend last week sparked my pondering of the meaning of true hospitality. Surely this dear friend has the spiritual gift of hospitality. Her home reflects her heart – always open and looking for opportunities to give to others. While her dwelling place is modest and her kitchen is messy, her cooking and her love […]

I’ve never gotten into Halloween decorations. At least not before this year. I do love the creativity of dressing up in a costume and the neighborliness of doling out candy to children all decked out in theirs. But I’m not a fan of the spooky stuff. I refuse to drape my house with spider webs or fill […]

I’m interrupting my three-part series on Drudgery to comment on Father’s Day. Yesterday, I was struck once again by the imbalance between the way we acknowledge Mother’s Day and Father’s Day in most American churches. I guess this has consistently peeved me because I found in my archives that I blogged about this same topic […]