Monthly Archives: December 2025

Nobody Does Christmas Better Than My Wife

Posted on December 19, 2025 by mitchteemley

I could have found a bunch of Christmas images online for my Friday photoblog. But nobody does Christmas better than my wife. So I grabbed my phone and began chronicling how Trudy beautifies our home every Christmas. Sure, I help … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 97 Comments

This Is the Ultimate Comfort Food

Posted on December 18, 2025 by mitchteemley

I should write, I suppose, about traditional Christmas or Hanukkah dinners. But those take preparation. Lots of it. And most of my food memories are about SiBY (Simple-but-Yummy) dishes you can fix with minimal prep. Yes, I love roast beef … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 80 Comments

Tips for Writers: Keep Your Comedy Serious

Posted on December 16, 2025 by mitchteemley

It’s been said that the only difference between tragedies and comedies is this: at the end of a tragedy, everyone dies, and at the end of a comedy, everyone gets married. In other words, the stakes are just as high … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | 17 Comments

Change Is Inevitable and That’s OK

Posted on December 15, 2025 by mitchteemley

“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sails.” ~William Arthur Ward Thought for the Week In 2025, the world changed so much we could hardly recognize it as the one we once … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

Is My Faith Changing Who I Am?

Posted on December 14, 2025 by mitchteemley

Is my faith changing who I am? If it isn’t, It isn’t real. ∞

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers, Quips and Quotes, Religion/Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 40 Comments

When All the World Seems to Die

Posted on December 13, 2025 by mitchteemley

All photos copyright © Mitch Teemley Who doesn’t love autumn? And by “autumn,” of course, I mean mid-fall when all of the leaves on the trees have turned to gold and amber and rubies. But what about late fall when … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, For Pastors and Teachers | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

What’s an Illusion and What Isn’t?

Posted on December 12, 2025 by mitchteemley

Art uniquely reflects both our attraction to and fear of illusions. It strives to reconcile our dueling convictions that, 1) only what we perceive is real and, 2) nothing we perceive is real. So, what’s an illusion and what isn’t? … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Popular Culture & Entertainment | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Expectations: The Mortal Enemy of Happiness

Posted on December 11, 2025 by mitchteemley

Expectations are the mortal enemy of happiness. The simplest solution, of course, is to lower our expectations of “how things will go.” But the far better solution is to banish them altogether. Banishing our presumptions is necessary for complete happiness. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Pizza: The World’s Most Perfect Food

Posted on December 9, 2025 by mitchteemley

Why has pizza been called the world’s most perfect food? Because it includes every taste and texture we crave, all in one dish: sweet, savory, chewy, crunchy. Oh yeah, and cheese, tons of cheese. What’s not to love? And yet, … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Humor, Memoir | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 71 Comments

Don’t Lose Sight of Your Purpose

Posted on December 8, 2025 by mitchteemley

Thought for the Week Don’t lose sight of your purpose. Purpose always transcends circumstances. Yes, adjustments and even detours will need to be made along the way, but they too can be a part of fulfilling your purpose. If you’re … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Quips and Quotes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 44 Comments