December 2006
Dear Friends and Family,
Christmas Greetings from Teen Challenge Boys Ranch of Bonifay, in the panhandle of Florida! As part of the SOWER ministry, we’re “signed up” to be here for several months as Gary heads up the A/C and Heat installation on a new facility. Being able to combine volunteer work with seeing this beautiful country has been a huge blessing to us. We have met the most amazing people in our travels, both the staff/students at the projects where we work and our co-workers that we work with each month (there are usually different volunteer couples at each project). God has been very gracious to us, and we hope to be able to continue in this ministry (and in our “on the road” adventure) for several years.
So here’s a little catch-up about the family…..
Lara is half way through her third year as a Residence Director at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA. We had a good visit with her in May (we flew out since it seems to be taking us a while to drive there!), and were able to see a little bit of her life there. We saw San Francisco, had a chance to drive down the coast (in her cute little convertible!), and walked on the beach at Big Sur. It is a very beautiful area. She was able to come to our family reunion at the end of Sept. and we’ll see her again at Christmas. Right now it looks like she’ll be in CA at least through this school year…don’t know about what comes next!
Toby, Tammy, Ellie (3 ¾) & Hayley (2) are still in Marysville, OH, just outside of Columbus. We had a good visit with them in July and then again at the Family Reunion in Sept. The girls are doing great - cute, cute, cute! It was fun to see how very different Ellie and Hayley are from each other, and what good parents T&T are becoming. Toby is still with BMW and aside from doing a little child care for a neighbor, Tammy has been able to stay home and be Mom. And that makes her very happy.
Josiah has moved to Lancaster, PA and is engaged to a lovely girl - Abigail. The wedding is planned for March 9, 2007 – right around the corner. He’s working in construction right now, and Abigail is an office manager. They are busy with wedding plans – and life together plans. We’re very happy for them, and are looking forward (weather notwithstanding) to joining them in March for their festivities!
Gary and I are likewise well. Our travels this year have taken us to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and then back to the East Coast where we’ve enjoyed projects in New England, Maryland, NJ, PA, GA, and now Florida. By milling around the East Coast we were able to connect with many of our dear friends and family, easily get to settlement on our house in Jamison in April (yippee!), and spend a couple of weeks at the family cabin in Vermont. As we begin year THREE of our life on the road, we are struck again and again with God’s faithfulness to us and how blessed we are to be able to see this beautiful country while serving Him. Once this project in Bonifay is over we hope to head West (yes, past the Mississippi!). In fact, our goal is to be in Alaska during the summer of 2008. But each day we gain new understanding that “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails” (Prov. 19:21). Each of our tomorrows is in His hands. Our immediate plans are to be in Marysville, OH for Christmas (though we’ll be leaving our 8 MPG RV in Florida and only taking our truck!). The whole family will be together, and that, as they say is a Very Good Thing!!
So amidst the holly and the hurry, between the jingle and the jungle out there, and in spite of big blow up snow globes, take time to remember the miracle of that first Christmas – a baby born in Bethlehem, God in the flesh appearing because of his deep and abiding love for us.
May you be filled with the true wonder of Christmas this holiday season, and may the New Year be filled with His Blessings!
Love,
Stephanie and Gary