What feels like a long time ago, Harrison graduated from Boyce College in May. He’s now working as a podcast producer for How Leaders Lead with David Novak. In his free time he is researching stories for The World and Everything in It, and editing a new missions podcast from Reaching and Teaching International.
Zoe played piano this year. Lots of piano. She’s teaching lessons and performed her junior recital as part of her degree at Boyce College. She also led worship for our church's women's retreat and played in the main worship service a couple of dozen times. Piano doesn't get old for Zoe. It just gets better.
Churchill can always be counted on, because he has all those fingers. He keeps us laughing with his physical humor, ready at any moment to add levity to our conversation. In June he traveled with the Clifton youth group to Kansas City as part of a World Changers service project. He loves playing bass guitar and is eager, every day, to get back to practicing the top 100 riffs. In November he obtained his Driver’s permit. Now he can get behind the wheel of the cars he loves to draw.
Teddy fills our home with many sounds and smells emanating from his violin and the kitchen. He loves to cook, and makes an unbeatable omelet. He jumped straight into new responsibilities this year, joining a classical co-op and studying Latin for the first time. He also held down a mowing job all summer. In search of friends who go with the flow, he set up a vibrant fish tank. He got to enjoy the year just chilling at a good pace before moving into high school next year.
In July, we headed west for a three week sabbatical and 25th wedding anniversary celebration in Colorado. We rested in a mountain cabin, brainstormed a new book idea, caught up with old friends and made some new ones, hiked favorite trails, and finally made it to the top of the Crags. Candice spent spent time at Novera Headache Center where she learned a lot about what’s been causing her migraines and achieved significant relief.
Steve continues leading the resource development and communications teams for Truth78. By day he equips churches and families to disciple the kids in their midst. By night, he leads us well through discipleship and hearty dinner table conversations. With Churchill and Teddy learning in a co-op, Candice was able to pursue personal creative writing and edited the Fighter Verses blog, encouraging people to memorize Scripture.
2022 has been a year full of milestones and mundane. As we come to the end of it, we’re thankful for God’s sustaining grace and help throughout.
A few years ago Harrison wrote a simple story about a fish for Churchill and Teddy as part of their Christmas present. The next year he wrote another, this time about Christmas celebrations in outer space. By year three, he was urging all of us to write our own stories with Christmas themes. Thus, a new tradition was born. Now we’ve collected five of our favorite stories, along with recipes and vignettes, to create Tales of the Glories. Moving from lighthearted humor, to inspiration for Advent, to moving biography, we hope this little book will lift your spirits. It may even become one of your new favorites.
We close with this liturgy, praying it will be a blessing to you and your family as you celebrate the birth of King Jesus. Inspired by Douglas McElvey’s Every Moment Holy, a book of liturgies for everyday life, Zoe composed A Liturgy for Christmas Day in 2017.
A Liturgy for Christmas Day
As we gather together this Christmas morning, we give you thanks.
We rejoice in this opportunity to give and to receive gifts from the ones we love.
Thank you for family who desire to be together this day and who would never wish it otherwise.
As we receive gifts and rejoice in the blessings you give, may we not dwell on these earthly pleasures. May we not worship the creation rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
But may we turn our eyes to you and rejoice in what you have given us.
May we not simply declare Jesus as the “reason for the season” even as we wonder what presents will be ours under the tree. Instead, may the sermons we hear, the devotionals we read, and the songs we sing pierce our hearts, until you reign most desired in our souls.
Until we see that without you coming to us, we would still be dead in our sins and without hope.
Only because you have come can we rejoice this Christmas day.
We also think of those who are suffering this day.
They suffer from loss of hope, loos of friends, loos of children, loss of money. Lord, you know what they are going through. May you comfort them. May your light shine in the darkness and bring joy to their hearts.
Now, as we enjoy the food set before us, may we rejoice in you and may our conversation glorify you.
May you be praised this day. Amen.