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Editor’s note: A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Sara Olson-Smith wrote about how she loves the snow. Pastor Katy Warren would like to offer a rebuttal. I hate the snow. Hate is a strong word. Perhaps “very much dislike” would be a bit kinder. Some will…
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Is it ever okay to lie? Our numerous and nuanced responses to this question could fill a library. None of them, however, should mask the fact that we all lie. Most of us are quite adept at it. We may lie to promote ourselves or protect ourselves or i…
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On Sunday, I met up with 120 of my closest friends from church for no other reason than to put on wheeled shoes and wiggle around on a slick surface. That’s right, we went roller skating. It’s good to switch things up like this. To see the people you…
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I love the snow. I know I’m in the minority opinion on this. But I love it, even knowing the chaos a snowstorm brings to lots of people. It causes danger on roads and sidewalks. Poor, homeless, and elderly people are vulnerable to its cold. There are…
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I recently came across the tale of Yuri Gagarin, a Russian cosmonaut and the first person to travel into space. Though the ship that launched Gagarin up into Earth’s atmosphere was quite large, his quarters were quite small – coat closest small. The…
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My wife, K.D.’s, car battery died a few days before the new year. The engine teased her with a few sputters before it decided to give up. I gave K.D. a ride to and from work that day, and we let the car sit for the weekend. There was a part of me tha…
On Sunday, while I sat on the floor coloring giant Disney posters with my children, I overheard my parents telling John what I was like as a child. There were a few chuckles, stories about the oddball things that would come out of my mouth, and the o…
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I can’t seem to get enough Christmas music this time of year. One album I always come back to is Christmas Together by John Denver and The Muppets. The album holds a special place in my heart because it was the one CD my mom had in the car that my si…
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Everyone has their favorite Christmas traditions. Some people love baking cookies. Others enjoy decorating. Or sending & receiving cards from friends both near & far. For you, it might be singing festive music or finding just the right gift f…
While most of us were rolling over on the couch the day after Thanksgiving, or lining up outside a big box store to land a deal on a vacuum cleaner, a church community in Durham, North Carolina was struggling mightily. One of its own, an undocumented…
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In the great plains of South Africa, there’s a poor farming community called Nieu-Bethesda. One of the small houses stands out from the rest. The yard is full of statues – cement camels and mermaids, wise men and angels, and lots of owls. They are bi…
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Flying can be an isolating experience, which is ironic because airports and airplanes are usually crammed full of other people. But when you fly, your own needs and wants take up a substantial amount of space in your mind. Do you feel that way, too?…