First Presbyterian Church of Valparaiso

You might remember that I have written a previous blog about when it is appropriate to start playing Christmas Music. My wife, the traditionalist, is adamant that Christmas music must wait until after Thanksgiving. Myself, a rebel to be sure, usually begins listening publicly right after Halloween. (Privately, I have been caught listening to the docile tones of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas in the middle of July.) Recently, the debate has amplified in my household. My boys

So here we are, the holiday season is almost upon us and I have to admit I’m struggling with what seems to be a national mood of crankiness in place of the kinder/gentler feelings that we would all like to be sharing along with our Thanksgiving turkeys. To me, it seems there are too many folks out there who have become incredibly cranky, disruptive, and sometimes dangerously violent. I was reminded of that when I heard that another angry passenger had punched an airline empl

Recently, Mike and I took a short trip up the west coast of Michigan to Sleeping Bear Dune Park and Traverse City. We saw lots of beautiful autumn colors in the leaves, fields of pumpkins and apple stands. We were a day in Grand Rapids; and so we had to visit the famous Baker Book Store Used Book Annex. It is a large building full of all kinds of used (cheap!) Christian books: theology, church history, devotionals, fiction… just about anything one can think of in Christian B

Some months, I sit down to write my blog with absolutely no idea of what I will say. Then the Spirit whispers in my ear (or, sometimes, hits me up side my head), and the words start to come. Today…not so much. I was telling a friend that I just didn’t know what to write about. And she started listing off all of the things that have happened in my life, just in the past week. Contemplative prayer group. A planning session for Advent services (for which I’m writing some liturgy