I got quite a surprise—actually TWELVE surprises!!!—when my publisher sent me the first box of my brand new book, SAME OLD, SAME NEW: THE CONSOLATION OF THE ORDINARY. Here it is, THE GREAT UNBOXING VIDEO!
Author Archives: Mike Mason
SAME OLD, SAME NEW: Brand New Book!
I’m pleased to announce the publication of my brand new book, Same Old, Same New: The Consolation of the Ordinary. Similar in format to my book Champagne for the Soul, this one too has 90 short devotional chapters, each one exploring the theme of finding meaning and joy in the ordinary things of life. Here’s a sample chapter entitled “The Secret of Contentment.”
Perfect Peace: My First Lesson in Contemplative Prayer
In my youth I joined the choir at my family’s Anglican church. We weren’t Christians then, just pew warmers; but when I revisited that church recently, I realized what a profound influence it had had on my early spiritual formation.
Snakes and Ladders: My Battle with OCD
According to Truman Capote, “The things we’re ashamed of are what make us interesting.” So let’s talk about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Psalm 139: A Nocturnal Prayer
What is your favorite psalm? Many would say Psalm 23, and a close second might be Psalm 139.
Three Artists of the Passion: Tissot, Rouault, Kurelek
One of my devotional practices for Lent has been to meditate on paintings of the life of Christ, particularly the works of three artists: James Tissot, Georges Rouault, and William Kurelek.
The Dark-Suited Salesman: Three Poems for Lent
I’m not really a poet, but all my life I’ve written poems occasionally when the mood strikes. Here are three recent efforts.
Resisting Temptation: The Work of Lent
As we journey through Lent I’ve been pondering the nature of temptation.
Embracing the Child, Part Seven: How to Handle Little Brats
On a visit to my aunt and uncle as a teenager, one day I was left to babysit my two young cousins.
Embracing the Child, Part Six: Acquiring a Child’s Heart
Currently I’m at work on a novel—a sci-fi/fantasy about angels and aliens—and while writing this essay I noticed that my story actually contains all the gateways to childhood that I’ve been describing.