January 13th, 2026

Hi Friends,

I’ve been sick for two weeks and I’m sick of it — the lack of energy, the hacking cough, and worst of all, the lack of voice to be able to talk (and you all know how I like to talk!). I haven’t been really sick, just sick enough to ruin my plans and frustrate my efforts — sick enough to basically confine myself to office work, meetings in which I don’t have to talk (there aren’t many of those), and sad attempts at playing floor hockey when I have no energy. But, during this period, I’ve had an epiphany — two of them actually — which is great, since this is the season of the church year known as Epiphany.

The season gets its name from a Greek word that means “to manifest or reveal”. It begins on January 6th (in the western church) or January 19th (in the eastern church). Interestingly, the western church commemorates the visit of the Magi to see Jesus (the first encounter of Jesus with “Gentiles”) while the eastern church commemorates Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan (when the Trinity is first revealed as present together). While Catholics and the Eastern Orthodox primarily celebrate on the aforementioned days, Protestants actually keep Epiphany until Ash Wednesday, believing that the life of Jesus continues to manifest things about God that he wants us to know. Part of the discipline of commemorating Epiphany is to keep looking for what God might be revealing to us in this season. Hence, my epiphanies.

First, I discovered that I’m not as patient or selfless as I thought I had become. Feeling lousy, I turtled — yep, just withdrew myself from as much contact as possible (granted, I was contagious and couldn’t talk but that’s not really the point). I was more irritable, impatient, and focused on how I felt, rather than gracious toward others. I’m not proud of this epiphany but I’m grateful because I can’t address a problem that I don’t know I have. Now, I can take steps to develop deeper character in these areas.

The second epiphany came yesterday, when, feeling a little better, I got to work in my shop for a couple of hours, working out the kinks in order to build an end table. I loved the process, even when, after two hours, I realized that I need to re-jig the whole thing. I’m made to create, to express myself, because I bear God’s image. God created a universe out of love, not need. He is complete (unlike me) and simply expresses his inherent love and joy by creating.

Steve Bell captures this idea in these words: “It is fundamental to our human nature that when we experience love, loss, wonder, desperation, or insight, we want to find ways to express – incarnate outside ourselves – what is going on within our souls. And so we write, compose, paint, dance, sculpt – all in an attempt to put out there, as it were, what otherwise remains unexpressed inside.“ (Steve Bell, Pilgrim Year-Epiphany; 32)

Consider Epiphany — what God is showing you and what he might want you to show the world!

Blessings!

Doug