Why You Should Observe Lent
Lent is a 40 day period of spiritual renewal, beginning on Ash Wednesday and ending on Easter. If you don’t come from a liturgical church…
Four Ways That Jesus is Like Santa, and Five Ways That he is not
When I was growing up, we used to make “Christmas lists” of the toys we were hoping to receive for Christmas. I remember spending hours…
Resources for Lent
Lent begins tomorrow. How will you use this season as a time of spiritual refreshing? How will you prepare for the joyous celebration of the…
The Twelve Days of Christmas
Have you ever wondered about the “twelve days of Christmas”? In the U.S. many people think that the “twelve days of Christmas” are the 12…
Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays?
In recent years it has become the norm in public to wish people “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas.” I can understand the concern about…
Advent: A Season of Preparation and Hope
Advent is the name given to the period of preparation leading up to Christmas. It begins on the 4th Sunday before Christmas and ends on…
The Christian Calendar
I am beginning a new series on holidays, focusing especially on Christian holidays. This will give me the opportunity to explore the origins of some…
Santa on the Cross? A Comparison of Santa and Jesus
A man in Bremerton, Washington has erected a 15 foot cross in his yard, with Santa in the place of Jesus. In an attempt to…
Does Easter Matter?
What difference does it make whether or not the body of Jesus remained in the tomb? The way in which you answer this question reveals…
Eliminating the Easter Bunny
This past week there has been a lot of discussion about a decision over 4 years ago by the city of Walnut Creek to rename…
What is Lent?
Lent is a time of soul-searching and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection on Good Friday and Easter. In the…
The Origin of Valentine’s Day
If we are to judge from the media attention it receives, Valentine’s Day is a major holiday. My main memories of Valentine’s Day are from…