This kind of thing has happened many times in my life. I show up at a simple gathering among friends. Out of the blue, one of the friends says, “I saw this in a store the other day and thought you’d like it. Here!” Never have I had a gift to give in return. So I say what most of us say, “Oh, no, I can’t accept this. It’s too much! . . . But I don’t have anything for you.” And then I scramble to...
With COVID on the decline in most places, this year’s holiday season is poised to be a return to “normal.” Families will gather together again and churches will meet to give thanks to God and to celebrate the birth of our Savior. But for many people, “normal” can include sadness and even depression around the holidays. Why is this the case? Some people suffer from the physiological disorder known...
The Christmas season is ripe for disappointment. For kids—there’s weeks of anticipation that may end in either getting the gift they wanted (but soon not enjoying it as much as they had hoped) or in getting socks (again). For adults, the disappointments often cut deeper: conflict with extended family, stress related to differing expectations, or facing empty chairs around the table. We may also...
What is it that makes Norman Rockwell’s famous illustration Freedom from Want (also known as The Thanksgiving Picture) so engaging? It’s not that we can almost smell the roasted turkey in the picture, although that is true. Even more inviting than the food is the warmth we feel when we look at the happy faces of three generations of family members gathered for the Thanksgiving meal. It’s the...
I look forward to the fall season every year. So many of my favorite things take place this time of year—changing leaves, cooler temperatures, flannel, college football, and, of course, Thanksgiving. Each Thanksgiving, around thirty family members gather at my parents’ house in East Tennessee for a night of feasting, catching up, and reminiscing. Everyone has specific foods they look...
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