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Brownies for Christmas: the End

The Community School is post-post-modern and the chief “friend” (the Community School term for the head) Laura is fighting with a new student Colleen about Christmas. Colleen is aided by Brownies . . . and the result is the end of chaos. You can start this show here.Here at last are the . . . . Continue Reading »

Let Men Their Songs Employ

That’s right: Men. Not “Let us our songs employ,” or “Let all their songs employ,” but men.That’s how Isaac Watts wrote it back in the eighteenth century, when he wrote Joy to the World.This line gets changed from “men” to “us” or . . . . Continue Reading »

O Holy Night (8) – Behold Your King!

This is the eighth part in a twelve part devotional commentary on “O Holy Night.” See the introduction here.He knows our need, To our weakness is no stranger,Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!Behold your King, Behold your King.Being God, Jesus obviously knows what we need. His . . . . Continue Reading »

Why is Christmas on December 25?

Biblical Archaeology Review has a good scholarly discussion of why Christmas is celebrated on December 25. And it is evidently NOT because it was superimposed on a pagan holiday: The most loudly touted theory about the origins of the Christmas date(s) is that it was borrowed from pagan celebrations. . . . . Continue Reading »

A Different Kind of Party

It’s funny because Linus makes the grave reading of Luke 2 for Charlie Brown and says, “That’s what it’s all about, Charlie Brown,” and we feel like something really important® has been said by Dollie Madison cakes and Coca-Cola. But Luke 2 isn’t in a vacuum. The matter of what happened on the night in question in the city of David when there was no room in the inn is not really about anything – unless there is something more to this child than a birth in poverty into an indifferent world. Continue Reading »

O Holy Night (7)- Born To Be Our Friend

This is the seventh part in a twelve part devotional commentary on “O Holy Night.” See the introduction here.The King of Kings Lay thus in lowly manger;In all our trials Born to be our friend.The King of Kings is a lofty title. I used to think of it merely as God ruling over all the . . . . Continue Reading »

Have you seen St. Nick?

Here is the fascinating story of how scientists used St. Nicholas’ skull to do a reconstruction of his face, and the results look identical to an ancient icon of Nicholas of Myra. Read the story here. Here is what Nicholas looked like, first the reconstruction of his head and face based on the . . . . Continue Reading »

Gift Giving and Getting

I’m growing older, as my wife reminds me dutifully. One thing about growing older is that you enjoy things in a different way than you used to. I don’t know about you, but for me the best part of Christmas gifts is now giving gifts, not receiving them. I love to give my loved ones gifts. . . . . Continue Reading »

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