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Christmas: God on Earth in a Baby; the First Time.
I grew up in a secular family for whom Christmas was an event featuring a holiday scene across the mantlepiece, a tree hauled into the house on my father’s birthday and Coke in the stocking found...
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Advent: Who was Joseph?
George de la Tour‘s St. Joseph the Carpenter (Wikipedia Commons) As we enter the third week of Advent, we turn to Joseph, the husband of Mary, the mother of Jesus. So, who was this man and how did he...
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Advent: Enter the Magi
Magi from the east (Photo credit: Wikipedia) Many of us grew up with nativity stories that included camels bearing magi to greet the newborn king in the manger. That’s true–sort of. Let’s look at the...
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5 Things I Want to Read in Christmas Letters
December marks the annual question about Christmas cards and Christmas letters. I’m squarely in favor of both, as I’ve written about here. People complain, though, about the nature of the Christmas...
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One Candle for Advent Hope
We lit one candle for Advent Hope last Sunday. The Advent hope candle also is known as the prophecy candle which looks forward to Jesus’ birth. But what is Advent? The word is a shortened form of...
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A Candle for Advent Peace
The second Sunday we light a candle for Advent Peace. Peace is an interesting word with many possibilities: world, personal, shalom, spiritual. I love the Advent peace candle because it reminds me of...
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Three Candles for Advent Joy!
Advent joy is looking forward to the birth of the Messiah. Most people understand Christmas and joy–with the music and the parties and the gifts, it’s a happy time. Advent joy, however, is about...
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An Angel Quiz for Christmas
How about an Angel Quiz if you’ve run out of ideas for Christmas entertainment? In the past, I’ve hosted Angel parties where people brought an exchange gift with an angel theme. I’ve served angelic...
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Advent: Elizabeth and Mary
The Advent story includes not one but two surprise pregnancies: that of Zacharias‘ wife Elizabeth and her kinswoman Mary. The Visitation by Philippe de Champaigne (Wikimedia Commons)As noted last week,...
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Another Look at the Advent Stories
I try every December to read the Advent stories with a fresh eye. Every year I’m surprised by something I learn about the Christmas story. After examining Mary and Joseph, Jesus’ birth and the...
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From Heaven Above to Earth I Come
“From Heaven Above to Earth I Come,” is a 1534 Christmas carol written by Martin Luther for his family. This is one of many he wrote, and his German title is “Vom Himmel hoch, da komm ich her.”...
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Charles Wesley: “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus”
Charles Wesley wrote the Christmas hymn “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus” in 1744. He based the text out of Haggai 2:7: And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will...
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