The Ass in a Lion’s Skin

One of the lesser known books in C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia is the last in the series, titled The Last Battle. In this final installation of the tales of Narnia, world of talking beasts, a cunning Ape manipulates a donkey into wearing a lion’s skin and pretending to be Aslan, the famed and mysterious

Grandpa’s Gift

Years ago at our family Christmas, my Grandfather gave each family a gift. We were sitting in my Uncle’s living room, surrounded by the watchful eyes of an impressive menagerie of mounted animal heads, while a small mountain of presents shining in their tinfoil wrappings awaited the traditional white elephant gift exchange. This ritualistic exchange

Love’s Missing Piece

Love is a verb. I remember that phrase sketched out and hung on the ceiling of my high school friend’s bedroom. She was trying to remember that love wasn’t just a feeling, it was an action. Something you do. This was an important revelation for us in these early years – love isn’t just a

The Convenient Villain

Sometimes in life, there is a person who has been a source of harm (real or perceived, intentional or otherwise). The trouble is that this person (or people, or institution) can become an easy place to assign all subsequent blame. They can become a convenient villain, on which to pin all troubles, failures, and disappointments.

God’s Waiting Room

I hate waiting. Don’t we all? In my time as an ER nurse I’ve spent thousands of hours amid the languishing throngs of the waiting room. There are few places quite as miserable as an ER waiting room. On busy nights the wait times stretch to hours as people pack together with their misery. Moaning,