Emily Parke Chase
When our daughter Prisca was dedicated as an infant at our church, she freely expressed her distress at being held by anyone other than her mother. Her wails, growing louder by the moment, soon filled the sanctuary and flustered the pastor. Anxious to move through the prayer of dedication, in his haste, our pastor …
Read More Advent 2013: Day 3Yesterday I dandled a friend’s baby on my lap. What a sweet lump of flesh! Despite drooling and clumsy efforts to hold a toy, he charmed all in sight. What a contrast to a night or two earlier. That night I lay awake in the wee hours of the morning while my son …
Read More Advent 2013: Day 2For over thirty years, our family has used the first 24 days of December to prepare our hearts for Christmas. Each year we have focused on a different devotional theme for those few weeks. The themes have included 24 different names of God, 24 items on God’s Christmas wish list, 24 transitions Jesus experienced …
Read More Advent 2013: Day 1This is the last day of these Advent devotionals for 2012. For us, Advent has ended. The joy of Christmas is at hand. When I first began organizing these thoughts and listing the emotions of Mary, my plan was to have them crescendo and end on the note of joy. But as God …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 24“Joy to the World! The Lord is come!” Advent is a time for introspection and penitence, preparing believers for the excitement of Jesus’ arrival at Christmas. The contrast between the sorrow of our sin and joy of a Savior is like night turning into dawn. Several years ago I had surgery to …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 23Thanks for joining me once more for an Advent devotional. Mary’s emotions during her pregnancy, that first long Advent, reflect so many of our own emotions as we pass through life. Some emotions are positive, like hope and peace, but others are less comfortable emotions like confusion and pain. What is the worst …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 22Advent is a time of preparation not only for the Lord’s coming but for all our relatives’ coming. Family gatherings are an important ingredient of any holiday celebration. As our family grew and as my brothers and I brought spouses into the mix, my single brother Richard often found there was “no room …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 21Advent is quickly advancing toward Christmas. Thanks for coming back to read these brief devotionals based on Mary’s emotions during the very first Advent season. Shortly after my husband asked me to marry him, we wanted to share our good news with my family. The news might have been good but our timing …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 20With all the bright lights and music pointing to Christmas, Advent is a beautiful time of year. But not everyone feels beautiful. Have you ever felt unlovely? The teenager rues the acne that spreads across his face. The middle-aged woman looks in the mirror and sees the extra pounds the years have added. …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 19Welcome back to the 18th day of this Advent series of devotionals on the emotions Jesus’ mother felt during her pregnancy. Holidays from work usually offer people an opportunity for rest, but sleep is always elusive for me. I average six hours per night. Through the years, I have accumulated lots of tricks …
Read More Advent 2012 – Day 18