Christmas with My "Real" Family

Christmas 2006 is a great memory now. I am so thankful that I was able to be home with my family this year. It has been 3 years and 2 Christmases since I was home, and this year has been a great blessing.

I arrived in Seattle on the 15th and spent the weekend with my whole immediate family. My nieces and nephews are so much bigger and grown up since last I saw them. One didn't even exist last time I was at home. There is always a bit of a culture shock for me when I come home, but it is well worth it to be with my family.

I had a week of Christmas shopping and preparing for our Christmas Eve celebration. Christmas Eve Day, Mom, Dad, Carol and family, Brad and family and I attended church together to watch Carol's boys in their Christmas presentation. It was great to all worship the Lord together. We then spent the afternoon watching the Seahawks and eating. In the evening we did all our traditional Christmas activities. I felt so blessed by my wonderful family and the opportunity I had to be home.

Christmas Day my parents and I spent the day with my dear Grandmother who is 94 and still living on her own. We did some projects for her and had a relaxing day. Every time I come home and get to spend time with my Grandma I am so thankful. Making the most of every day given.

Looking Forward to Coming "Home"

Dear Friends

Thank you so much for your prayers. Many of you have written notes of encouragement and given financial toward this early home assignment. I am excited to see you so soon. To be honest there are lots of unknowns with coming back to the States. Thankfully the “knowns”, friends, family and God’s faithfulness, are still constant.

I leave Goroka in just four days and have two overnights on my journey home, one in Port Moresby and one in Singapore. I will be arriving in Seattle on the 15th of Dec. It is nice to get home in time for Christmas. It has been 3 years since I spent Christmas with my family. I am looking forward to it very much.

After Christmas is when so much is unknown in my mind. The desire of my heart is to spent time with all my churches, supporters and friends. I wish I could be living in two or more places at once. I am trying to wait on the Lord for direction, but waiting can be hard at times.

Back on the PNG side of the world much is happening. There are a couple tribal missionary teams that are presenting the Gospel for the first time. The tribal people are beginning to understand their need for a savior and are seeing the sacrifice Christ has made for them. This is long awaited Good News for the people; pray that they will respond to God’s gift of grace for them.

Life at Lapilo, the school base, is very busy. We are wrapping up our second term this week. We have 3 days of school and then will head into a 4 week break. We have had our Christmas Craft Festival and the Christmas Concert. There are department Christmas parties going on from now until Christmas and everyone, except me, has decorated for the Christmas season.

Last night at the Christmas Concert one student sang a beautiful solo of “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas”. It is a funny song to sing in PNG since everyday this week we have had temperatures in the 90s or above. Now with those high temperatures we have had cold morning where we all feel like we are freezing. One morning this week the temperature dropped around the lowest we ever get, 55 degrees. As I was shivering, I realized that is probably a high temp for where I am heading in the next couple days. I haven’t had a winter in 3 years. I am not sure I am ready for this. J

I usually send out a Christmas letter but this year with my traveling home and tying loose ends up here in PNG, I won’t be able to get a letter to you before Christmas. I will send a “New Year” letter and let you know where I will be and what I will be doing. I do hope to visit you over the next six months. If you would like me to speak at your church please contact me. I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas. May the Lord bless you as you seek to serve Him.