Christmas Bumps

Christmas time means different things to different people. One thing that is observably true at Christmas time is people are more generous. It’s exciting to see.

There is a temptation by some to extend the Christmas season, and I’d respectfully submit to you that they do so at their own detriment.

Christmas time is special, in part because it only comes once a year. That scarcity serves as an impetus to encourage people to come home to visit, to focus on building relationships.

July 1, 2025

Buy American or Bye America

Made in the USA

A product that is “Made in the USA” both sources it’s materials and builds the final product in the United States, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

It’s a high bar, and one that fewer and fewer products meet. We are a society that increasingly wants cheap plastic junk from China. Our addiction to cheap stuff has very real costs associated with it, but it doesn’t stop us from buying the bottom dollar product in the big box store.

June 7, 2025

The Practice of the Presence of God

Brother Lawrence (born Nicolas Herman) was a French soldier who served at the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Paris. After his death a book compiled from notes of several conversations had with him, and letters written by him was published.

The people in his life were deeply impacted by his single goal of bringing a conscious personal union between himself and God.

He developed the practice over four years by thinking about God constantly regardless of his outward activity or circumstance.