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Mark D. Roberts

In Monday’s post I began to explain the impact of Charles Dickens, especially through A Christmas Carol, upon our celebrations of Christmas. In fact, it’s not too much of an exaggeration to describe him, in the words of the London Sunday Telegraph, as “the man who invented Christmas.” Dickens’s influence on our Christmas traditions is…

Click on thumbnail to left to enjoy today’s Advent Calendar Scripture passage and photo. To view the rest of my Online Advent Calendar (so far), click here.

Click on thumbnail to left to enjoy today’s Advent Calendar Scripture passage and photo. To view the rest of my Online Advent Calendar (so far), click here.

In 1988 the Sunday Telegraph of London gave Charles Dickens the title of “The Man Who Invented Christmas.” If you’re not familiar with the history of Christmas celebrations, this may seem like an enormous exaggeration. But when you look more closely, the Telegraph’s hyperbole turns out to be closer to the truth than you might…

In its Opinion Section today, USA Today includes two articles focusing on Advent. Now that is notable all by itself. I can’t remember when a newspaper had two, count ’em, two Advent themed articles. But it’s not all sweetness and light. USA Today stirs the pot by looking at one issue that is already controversial…

Click on thumbnail to left to enjoy today’s Advent Calendar Scripture passage and photo. To view the rest of my Online Advent Calendar (so far), click here.

What Is Your Favorite Christmas Carol? If you were to ask people “What is your favorite Christmas carol?” you’d get a wide variety of answers. Many would offer up “Silent Night” or “Joy to the World.” Folks who count all Christmas songs as carols might mention “Winter Wonderland” or “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts roasting .…

Click on thumbnail to left to enjoy today’s Advent Calendar Scripture passage and photo. To view the rest of my Online Advent Calendar (so far), click here.

Streams in the Desert and Shouts of Joy Psalm 126:1-6 Restore our fortunes, LORD,      as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears      will harvest with shouts of joy. Psalm 126:4-5 Where I live in the Texas Hill Country, hundreds of creeks meander through the oak-covered hills, canyons, and ranches. A few…

Click on thumbnail to left to enjoy today’s Advent Calendar Scripture passage and photo. To view the rest of my Online Advent Calendar (so far), click here.
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