Merry Christmas Letter! 2007

Merry Christmas Family and Friends!

December, 2007

The holiday commercial craze can sometimes take the joy out of Christmas, but through the eyes of our three year-old, we’re reminded how wonderful this season can be. On our hearth sits a miniature nativity scene with signs of Christmas discovery. The three wise men have chips on their feet from their "travels" across the rocky stone. Added to that is the recent discovery that one of the magi is missing a gift. All is evidence that Christmas should never seem old or mundane.

This was a fun and busy year. In January, we moved into our new house. Though there are still many projects left to be done, we feel wonderfully blessed with the added space, beauty and conveniences. February brought the birth of our happy little man Silas – 3 weeks after moving in!. He arrived in fine style, with a quicker and in some ways easier birth than Maggie’s. In April we took a trip to the ocean for our anniversary – with kids in tow. Over the summer, we enjoyed the SPU Writer’s conference, family camping, and attending a 100-year birthday party for Molly’s Great Aunt! In July we celebrated the birth of a new niece, sweet little Jillian. In August and September, we visited Todd’s Grandmother in Utah, shortly after the death of his Grandfather who will be missed. While we were there, we took her to see Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon – which were stunning! Molly’s Grandma Dorothy also passed away in her sleep this year, just a few days before Christmas. We know that she had a joyful reunion in heaven with Molly’s Grandfather and Dad.

It seems that every year, we pick up new interests and tasks. Todd has become involved in the local Firefighter’s Union, and has also taken on some Chaplain duties. He’s been active in teaching Sunday school and preaching. Molly’s role as Mommy has been even more fun and busy with two kids who wear her out and make her laugh at the same time. They are so fun! She has also felt especially blessed as of late with good friendships and late night discussions. She’s started doing some mystery shopping and loves it. In her spare time, she’s enjoyed digging deep into some theology and discussing ideas with friends online. Both Todd and Molly have especially been challenged and loved by our Home Builders group that we meet with twice a month. We look forward to great times with our friends.

Maggie is a bright, extremely expressive, happy little girl who always keeps us in stitches. This Christmas she keeps asking us if we’re going to give Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh for His birthday. She talks up a storm, loves taking care of her brother, sings loudly, loves dancing, swings, candy and camping! She enjoys her Sunday School class and all her friends there and likes to play with her cousin Mishayla and her friend Esther. Recently we took her to her first two plays – Narnia and Sound of Music!

Silas is a happy little 10-month-old who also keeps us chuckling. He is definitely a little man, wanting to show off for us. If he notices anything he does that makes us laugh, we find him doing it much more often, from bouncing in his chair, to wagging his head back and forth and grinning – all for a little response from the audience. Our little lumberjack smiles freely to his fans and is already sporting four front teeth.

Throughout the year, we’ve enjoyed several books. Our favorite has been one written by our good friend Mike Trillo, entitled What Does God Really Want? http://www.whatdoesgodreallywant.com/ Mike does a great job of sharing the truth of God’s eagerness for friendship with us. Some other favorites have been The Supremacy of Christ in a Post-Modern World (Piper et al.), Emotionally Health Spirituality (Scazzero), Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You (Friesen et al.), as well as (of course) several marriage books.

A key passage for us this year has been Ephesians 3:16-19 "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."

This hit us that the love of God is not just about knowledge in our head or a belief that He loves us, but an absolute filling up of our inner beings with His love that surpasses knowledge. This includes our emotions, as well as our mind and spirit. It is one thing to believe He loves us, but we now are learning how to feel His love as well. Both are important. This kind of love provides the foundations for all of life and gives us the ability to love others. This fresh awareness and wonder of His kindness has borne the fruit of beautiful praise times together. We are awed by his new ways of showing us His love.

In the coming year, we look forward to: spending time with Grandparents, (both Todd’s dad, Richard , and his mom, Marie retired this year – Congrats!) landscape projects (Todd’s favorite), "Mommy and Me" Ballet lessons with Mishayla and Esther, an anniversary trip without children :-) and of course – more writing!

We also look forward to hearing from you! You are in our prayers and thoughts. God bless you as your Celebrate Jesus this season!

Love
Todd, Molly, Maggie & Silas

Merry Christmas Pictures 2007

Here are a few "Merry" Christmas pictures. For more family pictures,

and quite a few more friends pictures, check us out at facebook.com and ask to be our friend!

SNOW!!!

Here's a few photos of Maggie enjoying the weather.

Fall Fun

Jesus and Morality

By Todd

Morality is one of those “hot topics” that we see waved like a banner above many a church body. We cry out for purity among the body and lament over the rise of teenage pregnancy and STD’s. We do this because we are immersed in a culture that is saturated with immoral behavior. Consequently, the “church” has responded to correct the flaw by lifting the standard of proper behavior. We have advocated for the rights of the unborn, declared the detrimental effects of pornography, and called on our government for a higher moral standard, yet to what end? Is our desire to see greater morality alone?

When we place moral behavior on the pedestal, we may see some positive effects for a time, but it will not be lasting. We can compel others to moral behavior with the threat of discipline and enjoy the temporary fruit of peace, but it will be a false peace. Our children will temporarily display the behavior we aim for, but there will be no firm grasp, no inner desire for morality. We may be satisfied with moral conformation without ever looking at a person’s heart.

Today, there will be many moral people entering into Hell. They have sought to make morality their god. They have even endured ridicule and persecution for their odd behavior. They have felt justified in their actions, saying, “I do the right thing, because it’s the right thing to do”. CS Lewis says “Duty is a crutch used in place of love”. Unfortunately, we have made our duty to morality our god and proselytize outward conformation, not inner change. Without a change of the heart, our morality is nothing but wood, hay and stubble which will vaporize in the end.

Jesus said He “must be lifted up…” (John 3:14) Have we lifted the Son of Man? To whom do we bow – good behavior or Jesus Christ? I find that in my life, I govern much of my behavior by what I think is expected of me, especially when in the company of other “moral” people. A friend of mine would say it is out of fear, and I would agree. For fear of being ostracized, I do the “right” thing, and Christ goes on un exalted in my life. I may be temporarily satisfied for choosing the right path, but for whose honor? To whom have I bowed the knee?

Enter the Christ, Who makes all the difference. When Christ is lifted up, all priorities, decisions, and judgments rest upon Him. He is exalted and everything else takes a back seat. He must increase; we must decrease as John the Baptist said. Our decisions revolve not around ourselves or others, or what we think others expect, but around Him alone.

The choice to give Christ the reigns should not be out of coercion or reluctance. No, it is out of a realization that we are in need of Him as much as we need water or food, and that life itself does not exist without Him. He is The Resurrection and The Life. We give control out of desperation to live life as He meant it to be lived. If we suddenly found ourselves at the controls of a 747 while at 20,000 feet in the air, we would eagerly hand it over to a qualified pilot out of a desire to experience life (and not death) in the near future.

Out of sheer delight in Him and desire to experience Him to a greater depth, a follower will exalt Christ. When He is exalted, moral lifestyle comes as a response of worship. Life is seen as a gift, an opportunity to display affection for Him alone. Moral behavior then becomes the byproduct of love and the effect of devotion. Morality is no longer the goal in life, but the result of chasing after the goal of knowing and loving Him.

When our lives are dictated by the presence and character of Jesus, all we do is in effort to imitate Him. His character, His love, His motivation come through us. We receive strength not by our own efforts or resolutions, but by the power He gives us. Our motive is borne out of praise for Him. As He is holy, so we desire to live out a holy life. He brings an enabling strength to be moral that we do not have on our own.

When Christ is central, morality becomes joyful expression, not dry duty. A very present strength enables the believer to stand strong and take joy in the expression; not finding frustration at every turn. When others ask, Christ is easily given as the source of that strength. In this, Christ is exalted

More Pics

I am cuteness defined. Check out my thunder thighs!

Yes, sister has been having more fun with stickers!

Me and Pam's beautiful flowers!

Fun with the cousins - Mishayla and Christian!

The Futility of "Protecting God's Reputation" by pretending to be perfect (by Molly)

In the past I’ve thought a lot about the verse "Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." We can be still and not do any work and God will still be exalted. We don’t have to "work" to keep up God’s reputation. He loves to use us – but He doesn’t need us because He is self-sufficient. I’ve been realizing how prideful it is to think that God needs us or that we are somehow going to damage His image if we allow anyone to see our imperfections. I get the mindset that I’d better appear like I’m doing well, whether I am or not or I’ll damage God’s reputation. Yet this is a wrong thought pattern.

I was reading in I Samuel the other day, about how the Israelites were excited because the ark of God came into the camp. They gave a great shout, the Philistines heard it and were scared – because of God. So they said to each other "We’d better fight hard" because of the ark of God. They fought hard and defeated the Israelites. On one hand you wonder - "God, Your reputation was on the line – won’t the Israelites loss make you look bad? Even if they weren’t obeying You, it seems like letting them lose damaged Your reputation with the Philistines." The Philistines obviously thought that they won by their hard fighting. Yet if you read about what happened next after they took the ark, you can see that God took care of Himself and his ark. The Philistines died and broke out into boils and had all sorts of troubles. And they knew it was because of God. After a while they worked as fast as they could to get rid of the ark – because they realized the Power behind it. And, God cared more about His children the Israelites than about His reputation. He wanted to teach them something through the loss because He loved them.

It made me think about how often my justification for appearing "good" to others is because I don’t want to damage God’s reputation. Really however, my brokenness and vulnerability before others actually helps to glorify Him. If I show others how, though I sin, He forgives and changes me – then He does get glory. This is the message of true redemption. I don’t have to appear perfect. He can get just as much (if not more) glory through my sinfulness as through my goodness. Thank You Jesus!!!

Utah Trip

Todd's Grandfather Verl passed away recently and Todd was able to go be with him, and his step-grandmother Rosa at the time of his death. While we are very sorry about his passing, Todd was glad to be able to be there, to spend his last hours with him, and pray with him. A few weeks later we were able to go to Utah as a family to visit Rosa and to spend some time sightseeing at Bryce and Zion Canyon with her. Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Facebook

We're on facebook now..... well, actually Molly is on facebook. But if you are looking for more pictures and more updates of our family etc, just check it out. It's much easier to download pictures so there are lots more. Go to facebook.com and register and then look me up and ask to be my friend.  However, we'll still be updating this blog as we normally do. Hope you're having a great day!

Visiting Daddy's Fire Station

My First Rice Cereal

I think I like it!

Stickers

by Todd

We have a sticker bandit in our house. She’s 36 inches tall and has the prettiest blond curls you’ve ever seen. You may not know where she is, but you can always tell where she has been. Icons of her presence may be in the form of Mickey Mouse, Dora, or an alphabet letter. The image is unimportant, but the fact that it is there means the world to me.

I have Goofy’s mug on my electric drill. My wife walks around with the letter “M” on her pant leg. My 6-month boy stands in his play saucer with the image of “Porky Pig” on his forehead. These are all signs of affection, signs of love, reminders that we were worthy enough be given a gift. At some point, she deemed us valuable in her sight and left us a visible token of her love.

As much of a neat-freak as I can be, I don’t run around removing these stickers like I do the muddy footprints. For, both show the signs of a person’s presence, but one is intentional love while the other is unintentional negligence.

What if we could see the stickers and footprints we have left behind? Not the stuff of paper and glue or shoes and mud, but the products of our actions, choices we have made, words we have spoken. George Bailey had the blessing of seeing what this world was like without him, something we may never see this side of eternity. Fortunately for George, and most of those who live on the silver screen, he left only good things in his wake. But the rest of us face the reality that we are sinful creatures in need of a Savior to save us from the muddy footprints we leave behind.

At any time in history, things happen because someone existed, someone left their mark. They did something, spoke something and now the effects live on, good or bad.

I once saw a man cross a secured crosswalk while shining a flashlight in the direction of all nearby drivers (mind you it was in broad daylight). His actions, I could only assume, were due to someone leaving their muddy footprint in his history book – and he would never let it happen again. Prior pain and the fear of its reoccurrence motivate a change of behavior. In the spirit of self-preservation one man hides his fears from others, or constantly talks about himself, or avoids eye contact. A mark has been left, a life has been changed.

To bring balance, I have a friend who reminds me often how much God loves me. He does this because someone has left a “sticker” in his life, a token of God’s affection. Someone made an investment and I enjoy the reward. Love and the truth of a redeeming Savior will cause one man to write notes for his wife, another to tell his kids every day how much he loves them, another to give hugs to everyone he greets, whether they are expecting it or not. By the grace of God, a life has been changed and His work continues.

Come to our house and you will see signs of love here and there. You may even leave with a few stickers of your own.

Father's Day Fun with Stickers - June, 2007

Family Camping

We've had a wonderful and busy summer vacationing with family and friends. A couple of weeks ago we got to take our only vacation alone with our little foursome to Millersylvania State Park. The weather was perfect - the best camping weather we've ever had. It was a great time of relaxing, swimming and just being together. Here we are in front of our faithful little 70's tent trailer.

Silas and Daddy with Deep Lake in the background.
Mama and Maggie on our hike.

Fun in the Sun!

Road Trip Photos

In celebration of Aunt Lucile's 100th birthday, a show was put together depicting the young lives of the four sisters (Lucile, Beulah, Mildred and "Gran" Margaret). Maggie (Gran's namesake) played the part of Gran. For the show she wore a dress that Gran last wore in 1915 at her dedication!

After the birthday celebration, we headed to the family cabin in the mountains above The Dalles, Oregon. Mishayla and Maggie especially enjoyed swimming in the lake and picking flowers together.

Then we were off to Pomeroy, WA to visit "the cousins". Maggie and Mishayla had so much fun with everyone... and this is only about half of them.

Last Words, Faithful Friends

Abiding in Christ, Part 1
by Todd

When a man has little time, he will get to the point. His words become succinct, clear, even commanding. A lifetime of wise counsel will not keep a sage from dispensing his best, especially when death is near. For three years now, Jesus has poured the core of His teachings into the eleven men who surround Him. He knows He has only a few hours to summarize years of credo. The Shepherd is about to be struck and the sheep will scatter. The loving Savior sets His own trepidation aside to ensure His friends are prepared.

He looks around the room at the eleven familiar faces. They are very ordinary men who have done the extraordinary by saying “yes” to Him. Peter, the informal leader of the group, has been hot-headed at times, even earning sharp rebukes from the Lord. His brother Andrew is just the opposite – quiet and behind the scenes. James and John were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder” for their aggressive ambition. Philip lacks vision and is bent toward a “cannot do” attitude. Nathaniel continues to struggle with his prejudice views. As a tax collector, Matthew is one of the most hated in Capernaum and is frequently assumed to be taking advantage of others. Thomas is a melancholy and struggles with depression. James, son of Alphaeus, and Judas, son of James are considered nobodies, as scripture says nothing about them. Simon the Zealot is a terrorist of his day, constantly promoting a revolution against the Romans.

There is of course, the one who was not there. The one that Satan had entered; the prodigal who would never come back to the Father’s arms. He left only moments prior and at His leaving, Jesus mourned.

They have been the most persistent of students who have stood up to the rigors of public criticism, loss of social stability and family ridicule. They now sense something is near by the urgency of His words and intenseness of His eyes, but as in times past, they are clouded by confusion and expectation.

Jesus now senses the need to move on from this room of comfort, this room that in 50 days will house some of the first followers of the Way. Scanning their eyes, in hope of finding a spirit of strength and courage, He urges them, “Come now, let us leave”.

The cool night air is both refreshing and startling as the cadre shuffles onto the dusty road. These were the roads that only one week ago heard the people shout

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest!”

In the distance, Jesus sees the silhouette of the small Mount of Olives, where the perfect payment will begin. He walks with unwavering posture, while the disciples follow along, glancing at one another, trading comments.

He knows His time is drawing near. In spite of the horrible pain to come, the Shepherd thinks only of the sheep. His firm, authoritative voice breaks the chatter…

More Pictures

At the Beach for our Anniversary - Silas was sleeping. :-)
Maggie June

Silas Don