He's been called many things: the Man of Steel, the Last Son of Krypton, the Man of Tomorrow. He was the first of the costumed crimefighters and the basis for an entire genre of fantasy literature. His real name is Kal-El, or as his adoptive human parents would have it, Clark Kent. But to the … Continue reading “It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s…Superman!”

There's a phrase tossed around a lot, by both writers and readers, often as a codified rule of the industry. "When you put a story out there," so it goes, "it's not yours anymore." Forgive me, but I hope it isn't true. My shelves are stuffed with books of many descriptions from many different periods … Continue reading Authority

Here we are, on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. Christmas Day is almost upon us, whether we're ready for it or not. We talk a lot at Christmas about giving, and we should. Giving is one of the calls we're meant to fulfill. But this Advent season I've been learning about the art of receiving. … Continue reading Advent IV: The Four Gifts

In what do you find your identity? I heard a story this week from a guy called Ed, who used to be the lead pastor in a huge church until he was diagnosed with ALS. He left his job because he didn't want his congregation to see what the disease would do to him. The … Continue reading Advent III: Identity And Call

This Advent weekend has been about one thing only: the annual Family Christmas Celebration service at my church. Every year, using drama and song and artistry, a bunch of incredibly talented people conspire to bring a fresh perspective to the Christmas story. This year I was honoured to be a part of the mix, first … Continue reading Advent II: Living Out The Call (God With Us)

The season of Advent has begun. Officially the beginning of the Church liturgical year, we prepare ourselves to celebrate the miracle of Jesus Christ's birth. As I consider the story told time and time again, I begin to see something I hadn't before: all the major characters enter into the narrative by answering a call. … Continue reading Advent I: Listening For The Call

You know you're growing up when birthdays start to seem more like times for self-reflection than like times for presents and cake. My birthday this year feels quiet, almost like another ordinary day. But flipping through the diary I've kept over the last year makes me realize that a lot of things have changed or … Continue reading Birthday Reflections

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone, Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow In the bleak midwinter long ago. *** Historical accuracy can be a wonderful thing, but there are moments when we make ourselves slaves to it. No, the Magi didn't … Continue reading Halfway Out of The Dark

My computer is dying. It freezes, it crashes, it's been in the repair shop twice already. There's likely no resuscitating it. At the moment it only limps along and hangs onto life by a slender thread. I need to save the draft of this post after each sentence in case it crashes again, so that … Continue reading Downtime