I have this great memory of handmade Christmas candy so exquisite it had to be stored in special containers in the guest bedroom of my grandmother’s house. (The room wasn’t heated, so the candy kept well.) Fondant pecan logs, date loaf, divinity that deserved a capital “D”, fudge made with actual cream and butter. My [...]

We are preparing to break ground for a new church building. This week, our ushers handed every adult a survey to fill out so we can help choose whether we have carpet or hardwood, traditional columns or contemporary sculptures, and a whole host of things in between. This isn’t a committee decision. It’s a family [...]

Last week I heard from one of the editors who helped form me as a writer. It has been more than twenty years since I submitted my first article to him, and we stay in touch. The magazine he worked for no longer exists, but the lessons he taught me remain. One lesson is how [...]

We got a Christmas letter this week that started out, “We’re still here, living in the same house, doing pretty much the same thing.” I think my friend was making a disclaimer right up front that this wouldn’t be one of those end-of-the-year letters featuring “outstanding family achievement awards.” In fact, I think she was hinting [...]

I wish I’d been in Portland, Oregon, yesterday. A few hundred people gathered there to remember a man who has impacted thousands. Since I couldn’t go, I’m holding a service on my blog. If you knew Bob Stricker, pull up a chair and swap your own stories. If you didn’t know him, well, I’m sorry [...]