Merry Christmas 2010

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year...
                                                       Wanda and Irv



This beach nativity scene is perfect as I compose our 2010 Christmas Epistle from the Florida Keys and we celebrate the gift of Jesus birth. Gazing at the scene made me wonder... 

  *  I love weather!!! What was the weather like at Jesus birth? Not all agree on the date but... research revealed Bethlehem has cold winters with temperatures ranging from 33–55 °F. It also can be very rainy with (27.6") 70% of rainfall between November and January.    

     * Perhaps those of you who have been pregnant remember your "last" month!!! How far did Mary in her last month,ride on that donkey ... If Mary and Joseph traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the distance in a straight line is not important to the time such a journey would have taken. Samaria lay between Nazareth in Galilee and Bethlehem in Judea. There was much ill feeling between the Samaritans and the Jews, although they practiced much the same religion. Any lone traveller crossing from Galilee into Samaria would be at risk of attack and would certainly not receive lodgings or any other type of assistance on the journey. Mary and Joseph would have had to travel east, cross over into modern-day Jordan and then travel south on the eastern side of the Jordan River, before crossing back into Judea. This is a much longer journey. Tradition has it that Mary, because she was heavily pregnant, rode on a donkey while Joseph walked. A fit man leading this donkey could have, at a guess, travelled perhaps 20 miles a day but this journey would have taken at least a week.

     * We all know the story... there was no room in the inn so Jesus was born in a stable in Bethlehem, the city of David as prophecy foretold. The stable was most likely a cave, not the thatched barns we see in a Nativity scene. The issue is not if it were a cave or barn... or a beach, but rather He was born, God's perfect gift to us.

At the season of Jesus birth, it seems or so polls show that people,  more than any other time exhibit "The fruit of the Spirit...
love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control". But also... we give material gifts to each other. I don't have a mall in the Keys so only you know if these fruits are in evidence as we get closer to December 25th with the "stress" of decorating the house,buying gifts, baking cookies, planning the meal. Are we so busy with earthly things we forget we need to be saying, "Happy Birthday, Jesus"?

Just being in the Keys is but one gift from God this year...

     * Hurricanes: The 2010 Atlantic total of 19 tropical storms, 12 became hurricanes -- including 5 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger) -- no hurricanes and only 1 tropical storm made landfall in the US. Many of the 2010 storms developed quickly over the far eastern Atlantic, but turned N and NE before they could reach the US, due to a persistent trough over the eastern US and western Atlantic. "In the Book of Job and in Isaiah, we are told God puts a hedge around us". No hurricanes have made landfall in the US for two straight years (2009 and 2010).

 In James 5:17, "Elijah prayed and it didn't rain for three years and prayed again, it rained. James reminds me that Elijah was a man such as we". God is no respecter of persons, so that promise includes me.

 "In Mark 4:41, the disciples marveled, speaking about the Baby Jesus now a man, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" God is creator, Lord and sovereign over all who wills all things into existence, who can and has calmed the wind and the waves. God is over all things. My role is to serve him and trust him completely.

     * Lucas: Being raised a Baptist, I was in the GA's (Girl's Auxiliary). In order to receive a badge, I had to memorize Isaiah 53 (the whole chapter) so remember verse 5 well... "by His Stripes we are healed". The baby Jesus, all grown up "takes the stripes from the whips and heals". I told Sharon the other day, "I prayed for God to heal Lucas immediately, as in one minute he can't make words and the next he is reciting the Gettysburg address. Instead God chose to heal him gradually but still miraculously. Speech Therapist 2009 tests revealed he spoke on 1 year old level; 2010 revealed at late 4/5 year old level. He has a 98% comprehension rate and in a teacher conference last week, his teacher revealed Lucas tested highest in his kindergarten class. Not to mention his great sense of humor. He heart is filled with love and willingly shares it with all.To God be the Glory.

     * Church Fellowship:  Have you heard the one about the preacher who died and went to heaven? He asked St. Peter for directions to his mansion and was sent to a small abode. A NY City taxi driver died and went to heaven. He asked for directions and was sent to a beautiful mansion. The preacher was livid and demanded why this was so... must be a mistake! St. Peter said, no... when you preached, people slept but when he drove they prayed.

Keys Vineyard Fellowship blesses us with wonderful food at every service... Proverbs warns... “Do not join those who gorge themselves, for gluttons become poor, and drowsiness (to the sofa to moan) clothes them in rags; a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.”; and also proclaims, “Put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony.” Thus, my joke above... I have to pray for forgiveness at every service, especially Wednesday night when I eat 4 desserts but...  seriously we are also blessed with wonderful spiritual food, friends too numerous to name and events I've wanted to participate in and prayed for...

          ~ Valentine Dinner/Dance and Renewal of Vows

          ~ Easter Saturday and August Baptism in the Atlantic Ocean and what else... BBQ; Easter Concert by The Doerfels

         ~ October Fall Festival for children of all ages... Irv and I helped at the 3 year old/under train ride

         ~ Thanksgiving dinner for the community (served 550 people, Irv helped carve 43 turkeys)

         ~ Upcoming Christmas Eve services and Christmas Day concert by The Doerfels. As I told Tom Doerfel (the father of 10 children and 5 performing Doerfels... all of whom with Mother, Cheryl live in a 40' RV), I wanted so badly to see them perform the fall of 2009 and God said, "not this time" but... now see and hear them every Sunday and Wednesday as they attend our  church.

* Children/Grandchildren:

          ~ Son, Michael and daughter-in-law, Cam's business is growing by leaps and bounds. This year after having built a breast cancer center at St. Mary's Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI which is in a network of hospitals... they were asked to do feasibility studies for six more centers in the MI network which are part of a national network including Holy Cross in MD. Piedmont hospital in Atlanta also asked for a study. They know Cam who is on the board of Susan B. Koman for the Atlanta Metro Area. Grace is growing like a weed and becoming a piano virtuoso; She has 2 dogs and 3 cats.

          ~ Son, Ben and Daughter-in-law, Faith have become "empty nesters"... Sons: Jason was graduated from Rochester University and has taken a position with Resource, Inc in DC so has an apartment with wonderful UK love, Karina in Silver Spring, MD; Adam will be graduated from Scranton University in the spring and continue on his degree of Doctor of Physical Therapy in Scranton; Eric traveled to James Madison University to begin his freshman year. James Madison beat VA Tech in football this year... another miracle.

          ~ Daughter, Julie would have been an "empty nester" but Kelly who was graduated from the University of GA decided to become a teacher which requires a couple more years of study for the degree so she is working to save her money and will begin at GA State next year. In the meanwhile, she is living at home with Mom... keeping Julie eating healthy and going to the YMCA every night;  Emily began her studies for a degree in Communications at Toccoa Falls College in north GA with a student body of 900. It is a Missionary Alliance school. As usual, she is into everything... how does she find time to study?

          ~ Sharon and Arno continue to work hard at their UPS Store and Sharon as the Yellow Book rep for the Keys. Both are involved in all Marathon Community affairs plus have found a church they enjoy... Kirk of the Keys (Presbyterian). Sharon is enjoying all elementary school Mom activities and Arno continues to coach winning soccer teams. Lucas calls out "Coach Arno, Coach Arno" when he comes home. Lucas also plays on a soccer team and will start Tee Ball in January.

          ~ Matthew and Kristianne began 2010 by celebrating their anniversary in January. In February, Caleb finished his first wrestling season with a 5-3 record. Both Caleb and Owen played spring baseball. In April, Kristianne ran the Cherry Blossom 10-mile and Madeleine endured getting braces. We noticed when we visited in May how she follows to the letter what she is supposed/not supposed to eat. In June, Matthew finished his third triathlon. My youngest, Matthew turned 40 in August. This fall was Madeleine's second season on LaFayette's cross country team. In November, Kristianne ran her first half marathon in St. Petersburg, FL.

And so I close my epistle with excepts from the Apostle Paul to the Philippians... This letter is written to all of God's people. May God give you grace and peace. Every time I think of you, I give thanks to God; always pray for you, and make my requests with a heart full of joy because of you.  I am sure God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished. It is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a very special place in my heart. We have shared together the blessings of God. God knows how much I love you and long to be see you. I pray that your love for each other will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in your knowledge and understanding of God.