Category: Faith
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Wise Men Tell No Lies
I just had an epiphany about Epiphany. The annual Christian Feast day of Epiphany, also known as Three Kings Day, will be celebrated this year on Monday, January 6, 2020. This day marks the official end of the twelve days of Christmas and celebrates the journey of the Wise Men who followed yonder star and…
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A Mouse Named Noel
My son and daughter-in-law had to put down their fifteen-year-old poodle this week. Every dog lover understands the heartache that comes when its time to say goodbye to a loyal, lovable, and forever-a-part-of-the-family pooch. It’s especially tough when you have to explain such a loss to your two young daughters. My son shared how he…
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The Simple Joys of Christmas
The headlining theme of last year’s December 2018 edition of Southern Living magazine was one of the “Simple Joys” of Christmas. I always chuckle a hearty HO-HO-HO at such teasing titles. While offering readers the hope of a simple Christmas, the magazine proceeded to unload a Santa sleigh-full of ideas on decorating, wreaths, cooking,…
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The Great Musician’s Birthday
Grief shouts the loudest during holidays. Following the loss of a loved one, those left behind must navigate a minefield of emotions during those first holidays without their beloved. And who wants to talk about such a gloomy subject at a time like Christmas? For most of my adult life, grief was never an…
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What This Grandfather Wants for Christmas
My adult children struggle to buy Christmas gifts for me. It’s not really as bad as it sounds. They have just run out of gift ideas for their dad. Usually, in early November, the pleading starts, “Dad, we need your list of what you want for Christmas!” I have a problem answering that question. As…
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The Tale of the Advent Log
Christmas is my favorite season of the year. The scents, the symbols, the decorations all tend to create a festive, if not reflective time when we have yet another opportunity to cherish family, our traditions, and the faith that makes life meaningful. Unfortunately, the commercialization and secularization of Christmas have distracted us from much of…
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Manhood and Chainsaws
Followers of TheBuddyBlog.com: Years ago, a friend of mine was quoted as saying, “Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me. I want people to know why I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way, and some of the roads were not paved.” There is a lot of truth in that statement. …
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The Ultimate Mulligan*
The term “mulligan” has become rather commonplace in our culture. In golfing parlance, it refers to a player being granted a do-over after a less than satisfactory shot. In popular culture, it simply means a person gets a second chance to get something right. I always understood that mulligans in golf were something granted by one…
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If Jesus Were a Bartender
Author’s Note: I wrote this Reflection in early 2017 and shared it with a small group of friends. This updated version is posted for the first time on TheBuddyBlog.com If you do a web search for the phrase “A guy walked into a bar….” you will discover that bars and bartenders are one of the…
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Well Done Faithful Servant
I lost a friend last week. Lost him to pancreatic cancer. He was more than a friend – more like the big brother I never had. And that doesn’t describe him justly. He was a mentor, a role model, the kind of man whose opinion you sought, whose counsel was valued, and whose approval was…
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