Christmas Encounters of the Angelic Kind, Part 3
Do you remember where you were and what you were doing the moment you first learned about: The 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001? Hurricane Katrina in 2005? The deaths of Osama bin Laden and Steve …
Christmas Encounters of the Angelic Kind, Part 2
We’re in the midst of a three-part miniseries titled “Close Encounters of the Angelic Kind.” In the previous episode we looked at the first of three angelic encounters mentioned by the Gospel of Luke—all of …
Christmas Encounters of the Angelic Kind, Part 1
In the late 1970’s Steven Spielberg introduced the world to a cinematic portrayal of one man’s obsession with UFOs. In Close Encounters of the Third Kind, electrician Roy Neary (played by Richard Dreyfuss) is prepared …
The Remarkable Story of the Real Santa Claus
Santa Claus is surely one of the most beloved figures of modern times. But did you know that he was perhaps even more beloved long before he acquired a fur-trimmed red suit, a big round …
The Amazing Story of the Christmas Tree
It’s difficult to imagine Christmas without decorated trees. But do they have any “redeeming” value for Christians? And how did the idea get started in the first place? I think the answer to the first …
12 Things the Bible Says to Be Thankful For
For several years, many of my Facebook friends have participated in the activity of making a daily post to identify their thankfulness for something or someone. That’s fantastic! A number of years ago, I started …
Gratitude is the Gateway to Real, True Peace!
In the previous episode, season 1, episode 39, I did my best to give you a brief (and, hopefully, fascinating) look at 30 years of psychological research on the subject of gratitude, a virtue which …
The Story of Santa Claus
Santa Claus is surely one of the most beloved figures of modern times. But did you know that he was perhaps even more beloved long before he acquired a fur-trimmed red suit, a big round …
Thanksgiving Ushers in Peace!
When my kids were little, we spent many long hours traveling to the grandparents’ house for the holidays. In order to help our littles cope with the 6 or 10-hour trips (one way) they always …
Christmas Angels, Pt 1
No doubt about it: Christmas is a magical season. Short-lived though it may be, the Christmas Spirit transforms our lives and communities each year in a way that no other holiday even comes close to …