Pastor's Devotions by Tim Harris

I remember when my children were taking their first steps.   It was so exciting to see them finally get up on their feet and wobble across the room.   With each step we would cheer.   The excitement in the room was almost uncontainable.   Of course, as quickly as they got up, they would fall onto their bottom or bump into something that would knock them to the floor. But, it wasn’t the falling we concentrated on, it was the walking—even if it was only a few steps.   Over the next few weeks there were lots of “ups and downs,” literally!   As our son or daughter would begin to make their way across a room, something would knock them off balance and down they would go.   Sometimes we would take them by the hand and lift them back up to their feet. At other times, Kim or I would watch with amusement as they figured out on their own how to get back up.   In the end, the point wasn’t about how far they could walk at any given mo...

If you live here in the Northeast, you know today is a pretty dark and dismal day. It’s raining with a terrible wind blowing. It feels like the sun never rose this morning. It’s fitting weather for the one-week anniversary of the killing of twenty children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut.   As one commentator put it earlier today, “It’s as if tears are falling from the sky.”   I find it almost ironic—and even a bit difficult—to think that while so many families in Newtown are burying their children and loved ones, the rest of us are preparing for Christmas.   It feel as if there is a bit of a disconnect that, while some are weeping from such a depth of pain, others are shopping, baking, and holding Christmas parties.   It’s hard to think that such a tragic and horrendous event took place at Christmastime.   Yet, there is also something consistent about it.   After all, Christmas is a reminder of how dark our world really is and why ...

One of the highlights in our home during the Christmas season is Kim’s baking, especially the cookies.   Some years she may try one or two different cookies, but every year there are some cookies that are standard fare for our family. Two of my favorites are the Greek butter cookies called, kourambides, and the Scandinavian almond bars.   Each one goes perfectly with a cup of coffee.   And, each one seems to make our house seem just a little bit more like Christmas. So, about this time in the Christmas season I’m looking forward to coming home one day, being met by a delicious aroma at the front door, and finding Kim by the oven pulling out a tray of Christmas cookies.   I’m looking forward to Christmas Eve and Christmas Day when I can finally sink my teeth into any one of the cookies that have been baked for the holiday.   Yes, I am waiting for my Christmas cookies.   Actually, I’m looking forward with great expectation and anticip...

I remember as a kid the incredible anticipation leading up to Christmas morning.   Once we got through Thanksgiving Day, everything became focused on Christmas. After all, that was the day we would wake up early, make our way down to the Christmas tree and find a whole bunch of brightly wrapped gifts under the tree—gifts that weren’t there the night before.   And maybe, just maybe, there would be under the tree the gift of my dreams.   One year it happened. Not that I didn’t appreciate the gifts my parents gave me on other Christmases, but I’ll always remember one gift in particular.   At the time it was the gift of my dreams.   As I made my way down the long wooden staircase my heart was pumping, wondering whether or not it would be there. I was almost afraid to look. As I peaked towards the tree, I couldn’t believe my eyes!   There in the corner behind the Christmas tree there it was: a Flexible Flyer sled!   It was t he best sled t...

Every year, from the time they were each born, Kim and I have purchased each of our children a new Christmas ornament. That means they each have one ornament for every year of their life. Thus, at this point we have almost 60 ornaments on our Christmas tree that belong to our kids representing the years of the lives. In addition, Kim and I have ornaments that represent various time periods and aspects of our lives. There is the ornament for our first year of marriage. We have ornaments that represent Kim’s years of music ministry.   There is even one that represents my years of pastoring.   And, many of our ornaments, since they were given to us as gifts, remind us of the many people who have been part of our lives; people whom we remember as we hang the ornament they gave to us on our tree. I find it fascinating at this point to look at our tree and try to think through each of the years represented by the ornaments hung on it and all that has tak...