Today I raise a cup of love and reflect on Isaiah 7:10-14 as we light the last purple candle on the Advent wreath. The Word Love Love is a much used and abused term in the English language. We use the same word to describe how we feel about certain foods, such as pizza and […]
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This week I raise a cup of Joy (or Faith since Joy requires faith!) Our time of waiting for Christmas is half over; this is reason for rejoicing for some, for terror for others who are not ready. In Catholic churches throughout the world, the rose candle of the Advent wreath is lit, signaling the […]
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Sometimes, unexpected items become part of the family. Writer Brad Flory writes how an ugly Christmas tree has become a Christmas heirloom. Part of the Family The first year we were married, we went to the discount store and bought that ugly artificial Christmas tree. We never planned to keep it forever, but forever it […]
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During the second week of Advent we light the candle of Peace. I offer you a cup of peace – my reflections on peace through the words of the prophet Isaiah. Beating Swords into Plowshares In the 1980’s, members of the peace community decided to take the words of Isaiah 2:4 literally in what was […]
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Hemingway is reputed to have said, write drunk, edit sober. From my experience with NaNoWriMo the past eight years, I’ve got a different take on this. Writing provides its own type of high, with unexpected dangers – hence, driving under the influence of writing! Driving Under the Influence of Writing I thought of this while […]
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This week as many Christian churches light the first candle on the Advent wreath, the candle of hope, I offer you my reflections on hope – a cup of hope! Handel’s Messiah One of my Advent traditions is to listen to the Messiah. I’ve been doing this since high school. The overture is one of […]
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I completed my weekly journey through the Psalms in November with Psalm 150 so I’m taking a break from the Psalms this Advent in order to focus on Advent themes and readings from Isaiah. Each week will feature a different cup with Advent wreath themes: hope, peace, joy, love. Join me in a cup of […]
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Today, people in the United States are celebrating Thanksgiving. It’s a Thanksgiving like no other in that due to COVID 19, many families are not gathering, including mine. No big family gathering, no roasted turkey and my sister-in-law’s stuffing (based on my mom’s) and homemade turkey gravy. Instead I’m warming smoked turkey legs, having stove […]
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There is a moment after watching a wonderful fireworks display or hearing a magnificent symphony or concert, or seeing a phenomenal performance, that you just want to sit in the afterglow of the experience and bask in the memory. After the four great Alleluia psalms we just read, especially Psalms 147 and 148 that explode […]
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There is something compelling about using your body to praise God, not just with spoken words. Some feelings are just too powerful to put into words. They require your whole body. The love of God compels me to dance just as love of a spouse needs to be expressed in a physical form. David danced […]
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