We all know the parable of the birds, in which a man on Christmas Eve sees a flock of birds huddled in the snow, cold and miserable. He tries to entice them into his warm barn, but being afraid, they want nothing to do with him.
Category Archives: Stories and Excerpts
Holy Feet: A Maundy Thursday Story
Here’s an excerpt from a new novel I’m working on. In this story, my protagonist Nathan’s father lies incapacitated in a care home, in an advanced state of Alzheimer’s. Initially unable to communicate with his father at all, and feeling profoundly alienated, over the course of many visits Nathan gradually learns to express, and to receive, love.
Pinocchio: The Rest of the Story
This story was published nearly forty years ago in my book The Furniture of Heaven & Other Parables for Pilgrims. I wonder if it rings any bells for you today?
At Home with Mary, Martha, & Lazarus: Imagined Scenarios
Here’s a little piece from the new book I’m working on, a collection of parables. It has a few twists and turns, so hang on!
Infinity in Four Chair Legs: More Ordinary Quotes
If you’ve read my book Same Old, Same New: The Consolation of the Ordinary you’ll know that it’s full of quotes.
Cherubs & Stars: Two Poems
How will the world end? Read on.
POL the Apostle: An Experiment in Evangelism
Reverend Hiram Chipdale, lead pastor of the First Church of Technology in L.A., was well known for his many experiments in integrating Christian theology and worship with virtual reality.
Chester Christmas: My Brand New Story!
December 21, 1999, and I’m upstairs in my office working on a book about joy. Already it’s dark out and snow thick as a test pattern flows past the window.
The Great God Contest: A Christmas Parable
One day all the gods got together to see who could come up with the best plan to save the world.
The Good Samaritan: An Imagined Backstory
Every year at Passover the boy Jesus and His family made the trek to Jerusalem to observe the festival. The gospel of Luke records a famous account of one of these trips, when Jesus was twelve and held the elders in the Temple spellbound with His wisdom.