'Tis the season to think of family; immediate, close in, not-so-close in, added in by marriage or adoption, and those considered part of the family even without kin relationships. These folks are Mishpochah – Yiddish for family...

Mishpaha is the Hebrew word for family.

I am the firstborn of four children: Jax, Dirk and Jill. I do not know why, but I was always ashamed of having so many siblings. I just never really knew a lot of families our size. My dad had a sister, and my mom had two brothers, so I felt that theirs were the norm...

On Friday, December 9th, Nancy and I attended a wonderful cantata for congregation and choir call Carols by Heather Sorenson at our church, Zion Lutheran in Walburg, Texas. (This is available on their site for your viewing, too!) The congregation was an integral component of the music by singing along...