The moment I heard the dare I refused it outright. No way was I going to do that. No way was I going to jeopardize what I had worked hard for the past few years. Singing a solo as a part of the Living Christmas Tree performances was something that more than a few high school students aspired to at the Big Church on the Island. As a senior, my opportunity finally arrived when I was chosen to Read More about Remembering The Living Christmas Tree, Part 2: The Dare
Remembering The Living Christmas Tree, Part I: The Unexpected
I was ten, maybe eleven, when disaster struck. We had no warning, no alarm, no chance. It took place about halfway through that season's run of live-audience performances. To date, each performance had gone smoothly, so why would we expect anything different? How could we have anticipated a hiccup of any kind to occur on that night? I mean, who would have thought that something so unexpected, Read More about Remembering The Living Christmas Tree, Part I: The Unexpected
O Come All Ye Faithful
Arguably one of the most well-known and most beloved carols of the Advent season, “O Come All Ye Faithful” possesses a tune that is memorable and lyrics that are true. Throughout the famed Christmas hymn, God’s faithful are being invited to go to Bethlehem and to adore not just a Babe in a manager but the Christ of the Bible, the fulfillment of God’s promises. The Messiah. In other words, we are Read More about O Come All Ye Faithful
A Halloween Memory: The Time I Touched Death
I have no idea how he died. I think they told me, but I was too terrified to hear a word of it. Between the chattering of my teeth and the knocking of my knees, I'd become temporarily deaf. “Come touch the dead man,” said one of them as I was passing by. “Don’t be chicken,” teased another. Being the man that I was at the ripe old age of 10, I walked up the driveway and took my place in Read More about A Halloween Memory: The Time I Touched Death
Fairy Tales and Grownups
J.R.R. Tolkien. George MacDonald. C.S. Lewis. Maurice Sendak. Neil Gaiman. What do each of these authors all have in common? Well, for starters, each of them penned fantasy literature. In addition, they all had best-selling books. But that's not all. Each of these writers' also saw their works enjoyed by the same audience: children. Yet, by their own admission, none of them wrote for Read More about Fairy Tales and Grownups
Friday Night at the Fights
It’s strange the memories that surface when you are in the middle of selling a house, a house you have lived in for fifteen years. When we signed our “John and Jane” Hancocks at closing back in 2007, our children were 11, 9, and 4—assuming my math is accurate, of course. A lot has happened in 15 years, some good, some bad…a lot that is very memorable. I’m not sure why this particular memory Read More about Friday Night at the Fights