By GraceAnna Castleberry Expectations. Christmas is the season for expectations. Expectations are at times necessary and good, but if they are unrealistic or self-centered they can become stumbling blocks in our lives. We all have expectations. We have expectations for ourselves, our future, our spouse, our family, our friends, and even of God. Sometimes we...

by Candice Watters Tomorrow is the fourth Sunday before Christmas, signaling the start of Advent. I have good, if fuzzy, memories of “doing Advent” as a kid. What sticks out in my mind is a centerpiece wreath my parents brought down from the attic with the Christmas decorations each December and the way that the...