Christmas Letter 2024

 

Hope.  There is nothing I can say about hope that hasn’t been said before but I find it very meaningful to try to put words to how it has bolstered me – or maybe “propped me up” is the better description--  for this last little while.  The great thing for you is that you can keep reading or pitch this piece of paper and move on into the rest of your day or evening.  I’ll never know.  : )

A month after celebrating Christmas last year with my extended family in Georgia, we lost Daddy.  I was with him for the week before and Blake and I were on either side of him in his bedroom of 50 years holding his hand as he went home for good.  We couldn’t have asked for anything sweeter.  Oh, but what a weighty loss.  Many of you know this weight—  the emotions, the decisions, the memories, the grief…and at the same time, the gift from God of being able to hold JOY at the same time.  Joy that he is free, that he’s in the presence of the Lord and that we have HOPE {full assurance} that we will see him again.  But we miss him and mom every day.  Thanks to many of you who showed and continue to show such kindness to and care for our family.  

For we do not grieve as those who have no hope… 1 Thessalonians 4:13

Clearfork Community Church continues to surprise, challenge and bless us on this journey of going from “planting” to “planted”.  We are meeting in the historic Ridglea Theatre off Camp Bowie with extra space down the sidewalk for kids’ ministry and midweek activities.  All of that is fine and good but it’s the people that excite me the most— how they show up—  to set up, make coffee, tear down, pack up, clean up, teach our kiddos, greet, sing—- ALL THE THINGS.  {And then there’s the blessing of sitting under the teaching of my favorite pastor.}  It’s an honor to be associated with this body of believers. 

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

On the family front, we are ALL a work in progress.  Julia and Brighton are moving steadily and surely into the adult world, making their own way.  We are grateful for them being right here in Fort Worth — able to have dinner, watch a game or just be in the same space whenever we want.  We know that might not always be the case so we are enjoying it while we can. For those of us who parent, I think parenting is quite possibly our most challenging role in life because of the drastic changes that happen as we parent— changes in us, changes in who we are parenting and changes in the function of the role.  I am ALL EARS if anyone has these overlapping seismic shifts figured out.  I am thankful that Jeff and I are experiencing all of this TOGETHER.  He’s a needed partner in every way.  Being parents with “adult” kids and at the same time losing your parents is not a unique position to be in but I do wonder often at this design.  Now that I know the questions I would ask, I can’t ask them anymore.  But I didn’t know the questions when I could have asked. So, as you can imagine. the Lord is using every bit of it to draw us to Him in humility and dependence, graciously making us more like Him. He wastes nothing. He is our Hope. 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.  Hebrews 6:19                                      

Where would I be without this anchor for MY soul?  His gracious gift of being His is humbling to me and unfathomable to me but very much my reality.  This HOPE is real.  Sure, steadfast, secure, eternal…. 

Feel the “thrill of hope” and REJOICE with this “weary world”.  He is here—His light has dawned. 

Merry Christmas.