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The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing. Those words, penned by Edmund Sears in 1849, conclude the first stanza of the carol “It Came upon the Midnight Clear.” On this twelfth and final day of Christmas, I hope you have managed to…
With camera in hand, Tom Betts explores wherever he goes. Tom once had no interest in photography. But he had heard people talking about iPhones, so he decided to get one. That was in January 2012. One cool feature he discovered is that iPhones take…
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Have you purchased your partridge in a pear tree yet this year? Received your three French Hens or two Turtle Doves? Ordered your seven swans for this Saturday? Neither have I. I must admit, I’ve never really understood the meaning (or the appeal) of…
A few weeks ago, I was at a bookstore with a friend. On a bottom shelf, I noticed a book about Pope Francis, “The Name of God is Mercy.” I pulled it out and opened it up. “Yes, I believe that this a time for mercy,” he says in the opening pages. “The…
By Paula Durham Christmas is full of meaningful traditions for me, but is also a time of change and newness. The Christmas stockings handmade by my Grandma for my brother and me, and the family Christmas tree ornaments were anchors through several ho…
By Jennifer Weyeneth Love is a gift of hope and safety. It is the link between the heavenly realm of abstract deity and practical earth. I found love in the northern cold winter solstice sky as the brilliant Christmas reds were reaching across the wh…
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The cold was so deep Sunday night. Smoke poured out of chimneys. Gloves prevented numb fingers for just a few minutes. The final stop was King’s Harvest, a shelter on the edge of downtown Davenport. The block was deserted, except for three men who hu…
By Allison Adams I’ve been a planner all my life. Sometimes to the point where my family thinks I am going off the deep end. I love making lists and I’m the annoying person on vacations who likes to make an itinerary. I even made a packing list 3 mon…
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My family moved from Colorado to Wisconsin just weeks before my sophomore year of high school. I eventually made some really wonderful friends, but the first months were very lonely. On Christmas morning that first Wisconsin winter, my dad gave me an…
By Cathy Hagglund I have always believed in God, but because of churches attended in my youth and teens and their attitudes, I drifted away from the church. My church was my backyard, in St. Petersburg, Florida, where I would sit and gaze in wonderme…
By Kathy Bucciferro Every day is a gift, especially at this time of year! When we are in the midst of Christmas busyness, I try to see blessing in all situations. I am reminded daily that it is the little things that matter in life. My daughter Sela…
By Laura Scott It breaks my heart to know that in our community, in one of the richest nations on earth, there are kids who go to bed hungry with no winter coat or ill-fitting shoes. Among us are seniors who ask for a blanket and a stuffed animal for…