The Devil's Gift

Today is Valentine’s Day. I’m not a big fan.

I attended tonight’s Super Bowl last year—in a dream. Nothing in that dream will happen tonight. But something nearly as incredible will.

The insurrection came. The impeachment came. The inauguration came. And then along came Magnolia.

Trump is not Napoleon. The United States is not France. The 19th century is not the 21st. And yet.

A raging mob stormed the Capitol on Wednesday, January 6. Honestly, I’ve felt like doing that myself numerous times.

On the second day of this new year I walked the battlegrounds of Antietam. I’ve walked those grounds many times. But this time was different.

Some say the star of Bethlehem was the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Some say it was a comet, a supernova, or a double occultation of Jupiter by the moon.

Here’s a post from the archives. October 13, 2019. Not exactly a Christmas theme but it does mention the birth of Jesus.

Advent comes around every year and is quickly swallowed by Christmas. But this year is different.

Today is the third Sunday of Advent. The third candle stands for joy. Tonight I will light that candle with a trembling hand and a broken heart.