In the summer of 2020, when the pandemic still had an air of novelty and our interest in redefining ourselves was at its peak, I bought a new razor. I dumped the old plastic Mach 3 with its overpriced cartridge blades and ordered a solid, wood-handled safety razor; the kind where you unscrew the head … Continue reading On Manhood

Spring is in evidence in this little corner of the planet. For most of my life I've been less than wild about the wild outdoors; hiking or camping are not my cups of tea, although I can enjoy a walk through the woods. But it is foolish to deny the life-brightening capacity of things that … Continue reading Flowers

In a corner of my bookshelf, stacked to save space, is a series of books by Patrick O’Brian. They don’t have a collective title, usually being referred to simply as the Aubrey-Maturin series after the names of the two lead characters. Set in the very early 1800s and spanning some sixteen years, the books follow … Continue reading Particular Friends

I wrote this essay a couple of weeks ago for my theology class, by chance one of the last assignments in my Master's program. I recognize that it's a bit longer than the usual post, but decided to go ahead because I believe the topic is one worthy of (much) further discussion. Far from holding … Continue reading The Family of God: Living Theology Through Sacramental Worship

Original illustration by John Leech Today marks the 175th anniversary of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in Prose: Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (a title commonly shortened). Having bounded to success with The Pickwick Papers, and with Oliver Twist and Nicholas Nickleby under his belt, Dickens was still in the early phase of his career. A Tale of Two Cities, … Continue reading Haunted By The Christmas Spirit: Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”

Who would have thought that a wardrobe could contain a world? Who would have thought that four young children would be crowned kings and queens? And who would have thought that a few pieces of furniture, their dust-covers, and a handful of coats were all you needed to bring the past back to life? The … Continue reading Imagining A Memory: Pacific Theatre’s “The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe”

"And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

Audio drama tends to feel like one of the lost arts these days. We are a culture almost consumed by visual storytelling, preferring the spectacle of cinema to the theatre of the mind. But as true as this may be it's also a false impression. Because as long as there are those who practice it … Continue reading Meet Decoder Ring Theatre

The Oscars are coming! I know, I know, they can be cheesy and self-serving and they don't always pick the movies you really want to win, but I have fun at my aunt and uncle's Oscar party every year, so that's mainly why I watch. But it seems the craze to give each other a … Continue reading Award Season