In the Twinkling of an Eye
— Joe MacDonald

My youngest son, Caeleb, and I recently saw an outstanding production of the musical “Hamilton.” As we watched the performers onstage, I glanced at my son and saw his face glued to the action. He appeared entranced by…

I’ll never forget a particular moment in the fall of 1995. I met my wife, Cazandra, at one of our favorite restaurants right after work for an early dinner. As a waitress led us to our table,…

One night when my oldest son, Julian, was 6, we sat down at the kitchen table, preparing to infuse factor VIII, a clotting agent, to treat his hemophilia. He held out his arm, and I looked at…

Spoiler alert: This story ends with a Golden Girl moment with my son. Picture it: Las Vegas, 2015. My youngest son, Caeleb, is 9 years old. He and I tagged along with my wife, Cazandra, for…

I’m a pastor, so I encounter the word “grace” almost every day. Words of encouragement pour out of my mouth as I talk with parishioners struggling to make their way in the world. I often say, “Give yourself…

My oldest son, Julian, called me last Saturday evening with exciting news. He successfully auditioned to sing in a cabaret with a New York-based theater group. He’ll perform a solo at a West 34th Street theater near Times Square…

When my youngest son, Caeleb, was 5 years old, he participated in our church’s yearly Easter egg hunt. We divided the children into younger and older categories to help even the playing field. The smaller church members started first,…

In my faith tradition, next week is known as Holy Week. We remember the days leading up to the Crucifixion of Jesus, his burial, and his Resurrection. Each day we remember certain aspects of his journey to the cross.

I must admit right off the bat that I’m a big fan of the musical “Hamilton.” I saw a production of it in Chicago and felt its energy flow through my veins like lightning. The dancing was nonstop,…

I love assembling jigsaw puzzles. There’s a sense of satisfaction as the individual pieces come together to form a beautiful picture, and the essence of creation feels empowering. My thoughts turn to the many times when wrestling with my…

Through the COVID-19 pandemic, we became used to washing our hands frequently. As we held them under the faucet, we believed that disease particles too small for the human eye would be washed away, protecting us from catching the…