We are now in the second year of our new tradition of my trying to be kind of creative with our Christmas Cards. I wrote about it last year, it’s an idea I got from pastor Steve McCoy, whose blog I read. He just posted their Christmas Card, and once again it’s pretty cool and enjoyable – check it out here. It’s been pretty fun, and I say that as a person who does not at all enjoy getting together for a family picture, so if nothing else, I’d like to thank Steve for making an annual photo something I don’t dread. This year we had an addition to the family, so we went with a Christmas morning – opening presents theme. Here you go: Continue reading “The Croel Christmas Card – 2010”
Into Our Brokenness
This is an article I submitted to our local newspaper for the first week of December.
A little while back I was visiting with my Grandma and we talked a little about where God was in the midst of difficulties and suffering. She told me she has lots of questions. She told me that she misses Grandpa and was ready to go see him anytime. I choked up a bit and said, “I know you are Grandma. I know you are.” It’s been over 12 years since Grandpa died suddenly, and it still hurts. Grandma still really, really misses him.
Some of you reading this understand this situation all too well. When tragedy happens we grieve and mourn and then life marches on, whether we want it to or not. The holiday season can hit us especially hard in this sense. It’s the empty chair, or the memories of what once was, or the reminder of what could’ve been. It can seem that the world is happy and everyone else is celebrating. What do we do with feelings of sadness during “the most wonderful time of the year?” Continue reading “Into Our Brokenness”