A wind came without warning, strong enough to take a steeple clean off a church and yet restrained enough to spare everything else. When it was over, a sanctuary stood as it always had. No shattered windows. No collapsed walls. Only a steeple, white and fiberglass, torn by force, lying in pieces, carefully gathered andContinueContinue reading “Thoughts on a Fallen Steeple”
Tag Archives: shadow-and-light
Light in January: Epiphany and Tolkien’s Enduring Work
January 6 marks Epiphany, the day we remember the wise men arriving at the manger, guided by a star to worship the child who would change everything. Matthew’s Gospel tells it plain: these men from the East saw the sign, traveled far, and found the King in humble surroundings. They offered their gifts and wentContinueContinue reading “Light in January: Epiphany and Tolkien’s Enduring Work”
Walking the Long Road Through Shadow: Remembering ‘The Two Towers’
By the time The Two Towers arrived on December 18, 2002, the road no longer felt new. The wonder of Middle-earth remained, but it was tempered by strain, uncertainty, and the first true shadows of conflict. Helm’s Deep at nightfall, awaiting the battle to come. Unlike The Fellowship of the Ring, which introduced us to the Shire’s warmthContinueContinue reading “Walking the Long Road Through Shadow: Remembering ‘The Two Towers’”