Happy Valentine’s Day!

 

I wonder if we really knew how deep the love of God is for each one of us, how it would change our view of what happens to us and our loved ones each day. This truth is worth basking in as it deepens our relationship with our God and our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He loves us all so very much!

A concise recap of 2024 for us would be: 

The terrain we traveled was rough, but the scenic view was gorgeous and worth it all (kind of like riding in an open jeep on  rugged, rocky roads that leads to the most beautiful view of snow-capped mountains.) 

We spent the first part of the year with Jimmy resting and recovering from his stroke that had happened between the two winter holidays of 2023. He was able to begin driving again in January and started learning how to compensate with no eyesight in his right eye. What an example he has been of acceptance and moving forward in life with joy and contentment, never complaining.  

Things changed for us again when on March 19^th I had a brain bleed stroke. Three different hospital stays, two ambulance transports and tests galore over the next eight months kept us trusting the Lord in new ways again and thanking Him for His protection. The cause of my stroke is still a mystery to the doctors, and miraculously I have no disabilities. The unsettling “off” feeling in my head continues pretty much daily, but this also keeps me dependent on the Lord who faithfully carries me and who calms the many fears I have dealt with.

Because the majority of my year was spent with medical personnel, they became a big part of my mission field. So many of them were so encouraging and helpful to me, but I soon learned that my physical needs were far less critical than their spiritual needs. Many, many of them were open to hearing the gospel and seeing that God offers eternal life through faith in Christ…something they needed and had not heard before.  

Many of them had already placed their faith in Christ but were walking through some hard trials and just needed to talk to and be encouraged. Those were some really sweet times of fellowship with them. On two different hospital stays, God put a janitor “Daddy” at one hospital and then later a nurse “Mommy” at another who shared their hurting hearts with me because of their stillborn baby. My heart could immediately resonate and cry with them because of our Baby Samuel who is also safe in the arms of Jesus but who is greatly missed being in our arms, too. Truly, this was God’s doing to put these people in my life, definitely not chance meetings, which again reminded me that God chooses how He wants to use us and where His mission field is for us each day. 

Because I couldn’t drive for six months or travel, we rearranged our summer plans. Andy, Chiree and the little boys flew to Michigan for most of the month of July. It was such a special time for us making memories with them, Nathan, Katie and their kiddos. Such delight to these grandparents’ lives! Our seven grandchildren (the "Cousin Crew") used their creative minds and made playtime each day so fun! 

Michigan summers are awesome, which always involves heading to Lake Michigan just 30 minutes from us!

  

            

We were finally able to fly and go to Denver from the end of October until the first week of December to have six weeks with our little family and extended family there. Another bunch of fun memories were made…definitely things that mean the most to us! 

Colorado sun and snow go together!  

 

          

My sister and her husband, Dan and Michelle and his mom, as well as Jimmy's sister, brother-in-law, Kay and Dean, all live close to Andy and Chiree. We love grabbing time together with them!

Our great nephews, Coen, Casen and EJ (Michelle and Dan's 3 grandsons), live near Denver and have great times with our three grandsons. My niece,  Rebecca, and Jimmy's niece, Kara,
are a ball of fun to be with, too!

Our 50+ years of friendship with Andy's mom, Nancy, makes sharing these three grandsons with her (and Grandpa Wayne) even more special, as well as watching Aunt Melissa and Aunt Holly invest greatly into the boys' lives! 

We love it when friends and family get to come by and see us. My  niece, Rebecca (on furlough from Papua, New Guinea where she is doing medical nursing), came in May. She's always so joy-filled and brings us all an excitement in life!

      

Then in July our long-time dear friends (50+ years) and retired missionaries, Joe and Terri Potter, from Guyana came. (Terry and I missed getting our picture made together.) Oh, how we talked and talked about all the memories we have made together over the years.

 

 

In October, we were blessed to have Jimmy's sister, Connie, and brother, Kenny and sister-in-law, Kathy, stop by from Illinois and Missouri. We always just pick up from where we left off. We do miss living near each of them like we did for so many years. 

Both Jimmy and I have been given many new insights about life and death, about our loving Savior, and about eternity as we traveled some rough terrain in 2024. But, again, the views God gave us through these trials are just but a taste of who He is and what heaven will be to us one day. And the joys of being with so many that we love throughout the year were the most beautiful touches of all to the views God gave us!

Two names that have become treasured in our lives are “Emmanuel” (God with Us) and “Prince of Peace.” Who wouldn’t want to have the assurance of God literally being with them every moment of the day and that He is the ruler of all and gives perfect peace! So, maybe you would like to say along with us, “Thank you, Lord, for being our Emmanuel and our Prince of Peace!”

We are always grateful for any time we get to spend with you, our friends and family, just as the cartoon below says. 

The Lord loves you all so very much, and so do we!