It's Christmas time and I have been reminiscing.

God is so good! I never would have thought ten years ago – Tom’s last Christmas – that my life would be so blessed. Before he died he made sure I had a new and warmer coat and a good car – the last tangible things he could do for me. I smile when I remember him. I smile at that memory often – flowers on my table at every special occasion – weekly coffee date nights, holding hands across the table – chocolates and romantic notes for no reason at all – and his never-complaining attitude about the pain he endured for years as cancer slowly ravaged his body. I miss our conversations centered on scripture. Tom loved word studies. He was a word-smith. His use of words was like artful, graceful dancing. I miss walking around the farm with him to inspect the crops. He would rub the seeds through his hand or inspect a bean pod or an ear of corn. He could tell if we were going to have a good crop or a poor one. I miss cutting wood with him for our wood burning stove. How special it was to sit in the den cozy and warm and read books together - sometimes reading to each other. I miss his cloud watching – he could tell from the clouds if it was going to rain or going to hail or if we should head for the cellar. I miss him at income tax time. He always took care of the things connected to money. It is a struggle for me every year to get any paperwork connected with money done. I miss his back rubs. There is so much to miss and now that I realize he will have been with the Lord ten years this coming New Year’s Day.(As an aside-cherish your relationships. Make them good ones! They are glue that holds us together in the bad times.) So, I’m feeling a bit sad even though I am joyful at the amazing life God has given me.

I get to work for Missions Resource Network. This last year has been nothing short of exciting. I have great colleagues. We work well together and we, also, have great fun together. I wish you could be a fly on the wall at our Christmas white elephant gift exchange!

I am privileged, most of all, to be a part of a mission minded church that works. This body of Christ exists for her neighborhood and the lost everywhere. Someone said to me when I first came here that a bad day at Richland Hills is best day some will ever experience. I get to be a part of all the great days there. I love this church.

I have many blessings that can only be attributed to God’s goodness. My cup overflows! Some of you I haven’t seen for a long time – but I know if we met today, we would pick up our conversation where we left off last time and that when we parted, we still wouldn’t have gotten all our talking done. Christ is our center and He has given us all meaning in our lives. I’m just as anxious to read your personal notes to me about God’s goodness in your lives as I am in sending out my notes. I pray your Christmas holidays are joyful and filled with happy family events. I also pray that we as a people are as willing as Mary and Joseph to bear the stigma, the uncertainty and dangers that saying “yes” to the call of God brings as they were.

May we rise to the challenges God places in front of us as we worship, serve our communities and bless each other in 2010. May our lives bring Our God glory and honor.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!