Our Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!


Dear Friends and Family,


As we take special time to enjoy our friends and family it is easy to see the goodness of God all around us. All of the love and laughs we enjoy are surely a gift from His hand.


Looking back over 2008 we have much to be thankful for. On May 13th, Judah James was added to our family. He was born a year after Samantha, who passed away in September 18th, 2007. He has been such a balm for our bleeding hearts! Judah is the sweetest little baby who showers us with smiles and affections. He is a delight and we are so grateful for him.


This is our third year of home-schooling and … so far so good. Sophia is 8 years old (3rd grade) and her favorite subjects are writing and art. She fills many notebooks with poems and stories and is continually hiding them around the house as gifts for Mom and Dad. She also loves to draw (so paper and pencils disappear at an alarming rate around here). Sophie is also learning piano and violin. Her daddy enjoys very much the duets they’ve been able to play together lately.


Micah is 6 years old and in 1st grade. This was a big year for him – learning how to read, which was very exciting. Micah loves playing sports. He runs circles around me and I’m sorry to say he can beat me at any race (although that’s one of my 2009 year resolutions-to beat him). His favorite game is to wrestle with his daddy, whose injuries are increasing each year. Micah also is learning piano and enjoys that.


Joshua is 4 years old. He loves organizing. He also likes to do whatever Micah or his daddy are doing. I am particularly thankful for how much Micah and Joshua enjoy playing together. He likes playing sports and putting puzzles together. He also loves wrestling time, and his daddy is thankful he is still a lightweight. Joshua shows an interest in reading too, which is exciting for me.


We will be celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary this holiday. We look back in wonder at all that has transpired over these last ten years. We are so thankful for each other and can honestly say that our relationship is more precious now than ever before.


Love from all of us

Christmas

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.

Christmas baking

We've been having fun doing our baking this week, getting ready for Christmas! The pretzel turtles the kids do all by themselves.

First, they unwrap a package or two of Rollos:


Then, they lay out the mini pretzels on the cookie sheet:

Then, they place the Rollos on the pretzels:

Then (Mommy) bakes them at 300 for 4 min. Then they 'smush' a pecan half on top:

Great for placing in tins, wrapping up and put under the Christmas tree:

A Special Gift

While in Michigan, we met a friend from college whom we've stayed in touch with over the years. Our time was brief, but we were so glad to catch up with him and have him meet the kids for the first time. After he left, I noticed a gift he left behind for Judah. Knowing his Jewish background, we were struck with the thoughtfulness and care he put into it. The beautiful handwritten note read:

Dear Judah,

Welcome to the world! By the time your mom teaches you to read this letter, you will already know lots of things- like that 2 and 2 are four and that you have a big sister and brothers who love you very much. You won't know who I am, but your father and mother will always be very special friends to me. And that makes you special to me, too. You came along at a very important time in your family's lives- it will be many years before you fully realize how much we all cherish your arrival. So 2008 is a wonderful year for all of us, not only because you were born, but because it is the 60th birthday of the State of Israel. May people dreamed and struggled for Israel to become a reality and to keep her safe since. And you just happened to come along in the Jubilee Year of the Land of Judah- how about that, young man? In fact, the Israeli government is so happy about its 60th birthday this year that they threw a giant birthday party and even minted a special anniversary silver shekel (1800 of 'em) to mark the year and put it in an olive wood box (olive trees are a sign of hope for the future- ask your dad how many years it takes for an olive tree to make olives after you plant it). If you look carefully at the one, you'll see that the "O" in 60 is a pomegranate, which is the symbol for peace and prosperity in Israel. Judah, may you have every blessing of peace and prosperity that the land bearing your name has enjoyed. Happy birthday!

Fondly,

S.

Winter Break

We've enjoyed spending time with my parents these last couple of weeks. They came down for Thanksgivng to spend it with my sister and I and our families, then we headed home with them for a week.



Their home looked a bit whiter than ours (which is bare). It was a beautiful sight.



We happily pulled out the snowshoes and skiis.





I enjoyed a trail to myself one afternoon in the peace and quiet.


Which was once my old bedroom, is now the place my children spend playing happily reading all Mema's books, playing with my old toys.

Here's Joshie's helping Judah with his first sitting-up bath in the sink.

Grandpa and I even took the older two rollerskating at the old hall that I used to go to.

Great times.

Shadow Puppets

For the kids...

See here.

Patience

Hung above my kitchen sink as my daily prayer and reminder:

Give Me Patience

Give me patience

When little hands

tug at me with

ceaseless small demands.

Give me gentle words

and smiling eyes

and keep my lips from

hasty sharp replies

That when in years to come

my house is still,

beautiful memories

it's rooms will fill.

-Anonymous

Much Thankfulness

A few years ago, I went to a MOPS meeting and made this Thanksgiving Journal to bring home for our family library. It was such a good idea. Each year we write the things we are thankful for that happened that year. It's been great to look back and read our story of bountiful blessings. Here are some highlighted things written in the journal for this year:

1. Judah James has been added to our family

2. We have been a part of a new church plant for several months now. We love the families involved. Through the many bumps and turns we've had already, we look forward to what God will do this coming year.

3. For our family and friends who are even more dear to us.

4. For our favorite fruit of the season: pomegranates!

Not of this World

I still am thinking about this...

I've been wrestling with materalism lately.

Do I live in a way that others see that my hope is not in this world or the things in it, but in the world to come?

It is sooo easy to be a lover of money. Especially here in American and even this time of year.

Where is my hope? Do I continually fail to remember that all that I possess isn't mine anyway? That I am only managing it for the Creator Himself?

I don't know exactly how that looks or what exactly I should do. But, it sure makes me think twice what my Christmas list should look like...

Morning Funnies

A typical Tuesday morning...

Helping themselves get their breakfast. Feet jammies are my favorite...so cute. You can see this is the third time these jammies have been worn...I don't think they'll make it to Judah...

This is the boy's morning ritual. They line up the cereal boxes to read while they eat.

Don't forget the cleanup...

Oops! Occasionally, there are some hold-ups (o.k., almost daily).

No problem...we clean it up, tighten the lid on better and try again. Now it's brush your teeth, get dressed, make your bed and get ready for school...

Visit with Nana

We visited Nana today- the kid's great grandma. She has Alzheimer's and does not know that I'm related to her in anyway, but she thinks I'm a friend~ so I'm honored. She held the baby the entire time and was as happy as a lark.

As with all with this condition, questions are repeated over and over so you try to graciously respond as if it's the first time asked, each time. However, even so, her repeated questions meant they were important to her and in them I could learn from her. Her questions of the day were:

How is your church going ?

How many children do you have now?

and Do you go out with your husband for dates enough?

Titus 2:3-5.

Older women ... are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled.

Oh Help

The kids and I have been trying to zero in on some bad habits and replace them with good ones. One of my lifelong struggles is orderliness.

So we're ALL learning what orderliness means:

Keeping things in their place instead of letting things get all messed up

Then there always is self control to work on:
Stopping myself before I do wrong, Instead of letting myself go.

Then if they work more on taking the initiative:
Doing what I can to help instead of leaving the help to others

Along with meekness:
Letting others be special too, instead of thinking I'm the most special of all.


Then home would be a much better place.



I can never get victory over any sin,
except a forgiven sin.
If I say, 'I've got to get over this sin,
so I can be forgiven',
I don't know the gospel.

~John Piper from this sermon

Crisp, Fall Days

Dear Husband has been home for the last couple of days trying to catch up on yard work before the winter settles in. Since the storm, he's cut down 11 trees so the yard is looking somewhat different.

Micah has been getting up early to finish school work so he can be outside with his daddy and Josh is just thrilled to have daddy to follow around everywhere he goes.

The days are gorgeous. Heavenly. I had to smile to find this when I was walking down the hill to check how things were going at the burn pit.

Daddy was preparing for Bible Study. So, of course, the boys had their Bibles in their laps too.

Words cannot express how grateful I am for this man.

American President

We've been reading this week about our first American President, George Washington:

... But the delegates who had signed the Constitution begged George Washington to become the first President. Many Americans were nervous about this new office. They were afraid that the President would soon become a king...

But the fears didn't come true. George Washington didn't try to become king. Congress suggested that he be called "His Exalted High Mightiness" or perhaps "His Highness the President," but Washington simply went by "Mr. President." He only wanted to be president for four years, because the job was so hard. His hands developed rheumatism. His hair turned white. He wanted to go back to his farm. At the end of his four-year term, the people of America re-elected him- even though he didn't run.

Washington agreed to serve one more four-year period, or term. But then he refused to be President again. He knew that America didn't need a President holding power for life! He wanted the Constitution to be the ruler of the land, not the President. Washington walked away from the power of the presidency- something no European king would ever do. When he heard the news, George III of England marveled, "[He is] the greatest character of the age!"

Excerpt from The Story of the World Volume 3, by Susan Wise Bauer

Redeem the Time

I've been pressed lately with the thought of getting busy. Life is passing by too quickly. It was mentioned yesterday how my Sophie is 8 1/2.... the 1/2 part made me stop. She's getting so big and before I know it she'll be 16 1/2. I'm thankful for my little girl and I hope that I will redeem this time and raise her up to be a beautiful, godly woman.

Little Reminders

I was talking with a dear friend this week about an incident recently which flooded back memories of Samantha's death. I had such a hard time shaking it that day. She was patient with me, as I asked 'Should I stop talking about her yet? It has been just over a year now...' In her own kind way, she told me that this is what friends are for. Generally, it's so awkward for people to know what to say so usually nothing is said. I understand that. I'm thankful for the friends who ask, every once in a while, questions about her. I also am so thankful for the people I have found through this who have also lost a child and are living life. To think that I don't have to drive many hours to share with you over a cup of tea! Lastly, I'm thankful for the little gifts that were given that are sprinkled around my home that when I just want to think about her I can:

My emerald ring from my husband (her birthstone),

my shadowbox with her things in it

and

my drawing of her bonnet.

When I walk outside:

her memorial garden,

the pink Dogwood tree

and

the beautiful windchimes from our family.

Welcome Madeline!

One of my dearest friend's anticipated arrival is finally in her arms to stay! I finally got to meet Maddie, a newly adopted baby girl. She's from Guatemala and such a cutie. It will be so fun to watch her life unfold!

Drawing

One of my favorite things to do is to draw. I love to draw things from nature. This is one of my favorites from a berry series in pencil.

May all Fear God

I learned today...

2 fears of the Scriptures:

1. fear- terrified/ move away from
2. fear- awe, drawn to

Unbelievers/ NonChristians fear (are terrified of) the Lord. When we become believers/ Christians, that old 'fear' (terrified) becomes a new fear (awe, drawn to) and is glorifying to God and good for us.

Exodus
20:18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."

Leviticus
19:14 "'Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.
25:17 Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the Lord your God.

Deuteronomy
5:29 Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

1 Chronicles
16:25-26 For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Revelation
19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"

I'd like to do a word study and see what other verses say about fear.

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace ! How sweet the sound,

That saved a wretch like me !

I once was lost,but now am found.

Was blind but now I see.

In evil long I took delight,

Unawed by shame or fear;

Till a new object met my sight,

And stopped my wild career.

I saw one hanging on a tree,

In agonies and blood;

Who fixed his languid eyes on me,

As near his cross I stood.

Sure, ne’er until my latest breath,

Can I forget that look;

It seemed to change me with his death,

Though not a word He spoke.

My conscience felt and owned the guilt,

And plunged me in despair;

I saw my sins HIS BLOOD HAD SHED,

And helped to nail Him there.

Alas, I knew not what I did,

But all my tears were vain;

Where could my trembling soul be hid,

For I the LORD had slain.

A second look He gave that said;

“I freely all forgive” !

This blood is for my ramson paid,

“I died that thou mayest live.”

Twas Grace that taught my heart to fear,

And Grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that Grace appear,

The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers,toils and snairs,

I have already come;

Tis Grace hath bro’t me safe thus far,

And Grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me,

His word my hope secures;

His will my sheild and portion be,

As long as life endures.

Yes ! when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the vail,

A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,

The sun forbear to shine;

But GOD who called me here below,

Shall be forever mine.

When we’ve been there ten thousand years,

Bright shining as the sun;

We’ve no less days to sing GOD’S praise,

Than when we first begun !

John Newton 1725-1807, full 13 verses

Field Trip

This week we went to a farm through our co-op. The kid's learned more about the farm animals, went on a hayride and picked a pumpkin from the field. It was a wonderful fall outing.

Later that evening the mom's had a 'mom's night out' at one of the homes. It was a beautiful evening to be enjoying the country air and such good company by bonfire and candlelight.