Merry Christmas!
One advantage to putting our annual Christmas letter on-line, is that I no longer have to count my words. If that makes the letter far too long, you can either A) bookmark this page and come back to it later over a cup of hot cocoa and a candy cane, or B) decide that you pretty much have the gist of our year, wish us well, and go back to playing with your new Nintendo DS.
The other advantage is that I can link you to more detailed accounts of our year's highlights. For those of you who may be new to the World Wide Interweb, a link looks like this: LINK! If you click on it, you will travel to a new post which you may read, ignore, or roll your eyes at. You may have to scroll up to read the whole entry, but you'll get the hang of it.
2008 was a year filled with tropical travel. In May, Lisa and I spent a week in Maui (3 links worth). Lisa earned the trip with her hard work for Creative Memories and we were treated like royalty without paying a dime!
In June, the whole family visited San Diego. Despite fun trips to the zoo, to Sea World, and to LegoLand, some of the most memorable moments of the vacation were spent in our hotel room, watching the Fresno State baseball team win the 2008 College World Series! After the final out, we ran outside to whoop it up...only to realize that nobody else in San Diego really cared.
Lisa and I celebrated our 10th anniversary in October with a weekend trip to Pismo. We were both sick, but we still enjoyed the sunsets and clam chowder. Most of all we were both so grateful for the blessing of our marriage, our family, and the remarkable way that God enriches relationships over time.
We continued our celebration with a cruise in November to the Mexican Riviera (6 links worth! Only for diehard link clickers). Lisa and I traveled with our good friends, the Nelson's, and enjoyed a vacation that was a true rarity: the kind where you're actually rested when it's over! We are so grateful for the opportunities to enjoy God's creation, for neighbors who will take care of house and cat while we're away, and for Grammies and Grandmas and PaPas and others who will spend important time with James on those occasions when we sneak away.
James turned 7 this year and he has grown up a lot. He's still a silly, fun-loving kid, but this year he truly became a student. He is in the 1st grade at Mt. View Christian School. His teacher gave him the daunting task of reading 1000 pages this year. We worried about such a large number, but James became so voracious a reader that he completed the assignment during the first quarter! He still enjoys cartoons, video games, and wrestle time, but he's added reading aloud in the car and quietly in his bedroom to his list of favorite activities. He played baseball again this summer and also began karate lessons in the fall. The boy seems to grow an inch every day and he is so much fun to be around. If I could be allowed to use his own fake word to describe him, I would say that he is "Boo-Yahsome!"
Lisa continues to be a whirling dervish of activity. She is full-speed-ahead with Creative Memories. She works part time plus as the bookkeeper at Mt. View. She is mom and wife and cook and nurse and teacher and everything else at home. But above all, she continues to serve God wherever needed. When someone is needed to help with dinners, deliver Christmas gifts, help with Children's Church, put together the directory, run copies, run errands, or just plain run...Lisa always gets the first call. She takes great joy in helping people and honestly (I'm not just saying this) wishes she could somehow do more.
I am in my 10th year of teaching high school at Sunnyside and my 22nd year of my teaching career. Every time I find myself doubting it's actually been that long, I go look in the mirror at all my grey hairs. I enjoyed another year of teaching and preaching at the College Church, but my preaching will be greatly curtailed from here on as College has hired a full-time minister for the first time in 12 years. I'm excited for the church and the new direction. I do still feel the call to preach however and, to that end, I began taking classes at the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary this year. I have never enjoyed schooling more and, even though it will take some 5 years or so, I hope to complete a Masters in Christian Ministry and work full-time for the church some day.
2008 was a year of great blessings. I haven't even mentioned the thrill of watching James ride his bike for the first time...a summer of Indy, Iron Man, and the Dark Knight...an all-too-brief visit from Fabio, our foreign exchange student...watching 100 Angels victories...taking James to his first concert (The Newsboys!)...or the times spent just enjoying life. We're grateful for all of you and pray, as always, that God will bless you in 2009.
"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Eph. 3: 14-19)
posted by Thurman8er @ 12:10 PM
5 Comments:
Love you all, and Merry Christmas.
Which one is the "serious picture?" :)
I enjoyed reading your year in review. I'm amazed that your church when all those years without a pulpit preacher. I think that speaks volumes about your church from the number of gifted folks (such as yourself) at College that can preach to your church being a "priesthood of believers."
Your boy has grown up quite a bit since our blogging began. May God bless you, Lisa, and James in the coming year.
I'm heading out to Pepperdine this year? Any chance you might come?
Why the best picture last? Enjoyed the letter ... enjoy watching James grow up before our very internet eyes!
Loved everything I read and the incredible pictures of your year in review. Why don't I read your blog more often? I'll certainly do so in the new year. For all of you who love STEVE--I couldn't ask for a better son-in-law! I love you guys with all my heart and can't wait to spend precious time with all of you next year. Each year gets better and better! Love, GRAMMIE
Love to you and your family. Hope 2009 is fantastic for you.
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