Seasons Greetings, Family and Friends!
Divine Providence. It's human nature to strive for comfort and safety. Indeed, these conditions are deemed desirable and right. Many times we take on the task of doing what is needed to provide ourselves comfort and safety, and our lives today are inundated with opportunities to buy, achieve or otherwise attain these appealing desires. We work to provide ourselves comfort and safety at great personal sacrifice, and it feels good.
It feels good to go to the refrigerator when we are hungry for a snack. It feels nice to be able to bump up the thermostat a degree or two when we are cold in the winter. It feels safe to live in a nice neighborhood, with nice neighbors and nice schools for our children to attend. We have it all under control. We are self reliant. “Give us comfort and safety, no matter the cost.”
I am, however, struck with a challenging thought: Jesus was born into the exact opposite of this. Jesus was born into a very uncomfortable and unsafe situation. He was born in a barn! Moreover, his life began and it always would be: Marked for death. No worldly comfort, no safety.
What does it really mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Does it mean we forsake our natural bent toward worldly comfort and safety to follow Him? Sometimes we pray that we would be more like Jesus - do we really know what we are asking?
Challenging, I know. It sure would be more comfortable to think about other things at Christmas time! Divine Providence.
Our family is healthy, the business has been fortunate, the kids are growing fast and are in a great school. But honestly, as the economy has been challenging all of us recently, we have been experiencing Divine Providence. But, we're no different than anyone else: Left to our own nature, we seek our own comfort and safety. This truth has challenged LeAnn and me to realize the True Source of our blessings, comfort and safety. It is not ourselves, our business, or our government. It is our Savior. “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Divine Providence. If you are in need this Season, we are praying for you. Write or call us and let us know how we can pray for you specifically. If you are doing well this Season, join us in thanking God and seeking to be a part of God's Kingdom come, whatever the cost.
Lizzie turned 11 this year, and is in fifth grade at St. Paul's Lutheran School. She began the clarinet this fall, and recently moved into her new room here at home (the former baby nursery). She is growing in stature and beauty, but we are most impressed as she has grown spiritually and as a person. God is developing her into a kind, intelligent young lady. Through her involvement in AWANA, church, & school, she is hiding God's word in her heart. She is a good student and friend.
Will turned 8 this year, and is in second grade at St. Paul's. In March, Will travelled to sunny southern California to enjoy his "special" vacation alone with Mom and Dad (you may recall we started this tradition with Lizzie when she was his age). We visited Uncle Jason (LeAnn's brother), Disneyland, national forests and the ocean. He has continued his strong liking for baseball and is now doing Upwards basketball at church. He is very inquisitive and is a quick learner.
Theo turns 5 at the end of December. He started "Pre-K" this year at Emmanuel Lutheran. He's doing splendidly, as one of just a few boys in a mostly female class. He's got a couple of "special friends" he has told us about, and probably a couple more he hasn't! Theo brings special joy to the family, as he is quick to laugh and lightens the mood. With his two "Type A" parents who take life too seriously sometimes, Theo is a God-send to our family.
Drew is 2 quickly going on 3 (in March), and moved out of his crib and nursery, joining his two older brothers in Lizzie's former room. We're going to try this shared boy "dormitory" setup and see how things work. We're hoping to thin the herd (survival of the fittest)! For those of you familiar with our home, the boys now occupy the entire third floor (finished attic) with one room for their beds and one room for the toys. Drew is talking a lot now, developing his personality more. He's strong willed, but teachable. When chastised, he says "I'm sad" and produces a pouty face. He recently started singing "Jesus Loves Me". It's always cute to hear a small child sing that song. We pray it goes directly to his heart.
LeAnn and Tim celebrated 15 years of marriage with a "reminiscent" trip to French Lick, Indiana (place of our honeymoon). What they say about marriage getting better and better as time goes on - it's true! Tim has more gray hair and is happy to still be among the living. LeAnn has been especially challenged & blessed this year while working through a one-on-one Bible study with a mentor. She is also enjoying writing an “online scrapbook” via her family blog. Check it out sometime – http://adventuresoftheshortstack.blogspot.com
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