Polar Night

Among all the natural wonders that our world has to offer, one that never fails to capture my imagination is the return of the sun above the Arctic Circle around this time of year. Just a couple weeks ago–January 23 to be exact–the sun peaked from behind the horizon for about an hour, the fist time it had done so since November 18. For the inhabitants of that frigid region on our globe, that’s 66 days without a sunrise....

February 4, 2024 · 956 words

Insist on Hope

I was rummaging through my pile of National Geographic magazines the other day (if you’ve ever been a subscriber, chances are you have a pile too) and an issue jumped out at me. Its was a 2016 issue commemorating the centennial year of the National Park Service. Each issue published that year featured articles and photography focused on the preservation of America’s “treasured wild places.” The iconic image that comes to mind for me, and for most, I would imagine, when you think of one of these wild place , is Yosemite Valley in California....

January 28, 2024 · 1110 words

A Light in the Crawlspace

As any homeowner out there knows, maintaining the foundation of your home ought to be a priority. Keeping an eye on what’s going on in your crawlspace can help you avoid some pretty expensive repairs. You want to make sure water isn’t pooling anywhere, and that termites or rodents haven’t moved in. The problem, of course, is that no one really wants to go into their crawlspace, and so you put it off until, well, you can’t put it off any longer....

January 7, 2024 · 1066 words

Susceptible to Light

I’ve discovered a new hobby, and I have to credit my son with introducing it to me. Nate is currently a member of the yearbook team at Central High in Little Rock and has taken up sports photography. Over the past several months, I have driven him to and from Tigers games so he can capture the action, and on the way he’s been educating me on the basics of cameras....

December 31, 2023 · 1132 words

O God of Unchanging Power and Light

In honor of Larry Benfield’s 17 years of service as bishop of Arkansas, and his six years as rector of Christ Church, the Christ Church Compline Choir performed an anthem composed especially for him. David William Blackmon, a long-time member of the choir, is the composer. It was sung at Bishop Benfield’s retirement service this evening. Thank you, David, for the beautiful creation. Thank you, Compline Choir, for brining it to life....

November 19, 2023 · 285 words