Tag: holiday

It seems that my bride starts preparing for Christmas around the middle of August, looking for specific items on sale and making gifts for others. Even so, “we” are usually among the last to put up the Christmas decorations. 

While many stores have been decorated since Halloween (or earlier) and neighbors had their lights strung before the first snow, we lagged behind.

That all changed last weekend, with the tree being put up (it’s an artificial tree this year, so there will be no burning it in the fireplace afterwards) and the living room being re-arranged to accommodate it. 

The fireplace mantle received a yuletide makeover and multiple manger scenes are now on display around our home.

The baking has begun in earnest as the “Queen of Desserts” works her magic.  Already, I’ve eaten too much and gained a couple of pounds (but don’t tell my bride—she may decide to place limits on my consumption.)

Half of our family has already returned for the holidays and the other half will arrive on Christmas Eve.

Christmas time draws near—and I am getting so excited.

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas!

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

What Changes Do You Plan to Make?

Happy New Year! From my family to yours, I hope that you have a safe, healthy, and prosperous year. The new year is a time when many people make New Year’s resolutions. 

Common ones include losing weight, saving money, going back to school, finding a better job, improving or getting out of a relationship, being kinder or more generous, drinking less, and so on.

All too often, these well-intentioned resolutions are short-lived. I think that the problem is that people set themselves up for failure.

Let’s assume that in September I step on the scale and decide that I’ll make a New Year’s resolution to lose weight. Since this is a future goal, I don’t need to worry about it now and can continue eating what I’ve always eaten. 

I know that in four months, I’ll need to change my eating habits and get serious about weight loss, but for now, there are no worries.

The problem is that this gives me four months to further develop and ingrain bad eating habits. 

Additionally, knowing that in the future I will need to be more careful in what I eat emboldens me to eat poorly now—while I still have the chance. 

This only serves to exacerbate the problem in the present and results in more weight to be lost in the future.

A much better approach is to start weight loss efforts as soon as the problem is noticed—in this example, it would have been in September, not January first. 

Aim to Make Ongoing Changes Throughout the Year

This is why I don’t make New Year’s resolutions. Instead, as soon as I realize there is something I need to change, I set about doing so right away—before things get worse and while I have the best chance for success. 

I guess this means that I am making resolutions year-round.

If you’ve made New Year’s resolutions, I wish you the best in keeping them. 

However, if you stumble or fall short, don’t give up or defer another attempt until Jan 1 of the next year, just forgive yourself for not following through and start over again!

Happy New Year!

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Let’s play word association.  I say “St Patrick” and you might say “March 17,” “shamrock” (three leaf clovers), “Ireland,” “leprechaun,” or “adult beverages” with a green hue. To be cute, you might even answer with an Irish brogue.

Just like Christmas and Easter, St. Patrick’s Day is a celebration of religious origin, of which the original meaning has been largely obscured over time and altered by rampant commercialization. 

While the meaning of Christmas and Easter is not so completely hidden, the work and person of Patrick is largely unknown.

Let’s clear up some misconceptions. First, Patrick is not really a Saint (that is, not canonized by Rome). He was not Irish (he was English). And the whole thing about ridding Ireland of snakes is most assuredly mere myth.

Patrick did go to Ireland as a Christian missionary. He strategically targeted those in power for conversion, which had a ripple effect throughout the entire population. 

For up to 30 years, he traveled Ireland, promoting Christianity and setting up churches and monasteries. His impact was immense and profound.

It is believed he died on March 17, hence marking the day that we commemorate his life of service and accomplishment—largely by celebrating the myth that surrounds him.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Last week we packed up our Christmas decorations, took down the lights (we couldn’t think of a good place to hang “mood lights“), and over the weekend, we trimmed the tree.

Say, what?

Yes, we trimmed the tree.  The first time we “trimmed” it was to put the lights on.  The second time we trimmed it was to get rid of it!

Yes, we really trimmed it. The tree was about twice as wide as our doorway.  It wasn’t going out the same way it came in, so we had to get creative. 

The bonus was that we enjoyed the tree once more, as it warmed our living room with its cheery glow.

(Kids, don’t try this at home. Leave it to your crazy parents—who know just how dangerous it is.)

Do you like this post? Want to read more? Check out Peter’s book, Bridging the Sacred-Secular Divide: Discovering the Spirituality of Every Day Life, available wherever books are sold.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.