Our Christmas Card

Merry Christmas, everyone! Thanks for the love and encouragement we've received from your family's cards this year. We've truly cherished each and every one. I know those of you who've written have had to make the extra effort to update your address books. Even my mom has trouble keeping up with us and was asking me for our house number again. When Nate and i got married i vowed i'd never send Christmas cards because i didn't want the pressure of keeping up on everyone's locale, being funny or on time, spelling correctly or the issue of when to stop sending them when friends have grown apart. I had enjoyed writing my family's Christmas letters several years in high school and college, but my mom always gave me a deadline and was in charge of the mailing list. I thought this year i'd write a sort of virtual Christmas card so the whole cyber world would feel included. And maybe i'll print out a written copy for my uncle without a computer if it turns out nice enough.

I have been so excited during these countdown days until Christmas, more excited about the holidays than i can remember being in a long time. I've had a little kid sort of excitement. Maybe it's because Maria's old enough to be mesmerized by the lights and ornaments on the tree or because i'm pregnant or because i've needed my family more than ever this year or maybe it's just because i've simply needed the purposeful excitement of all that Christmas represents.

Somehow the little things, the traditions and such, have warmed me like a cozy fireplace. Last week Maria and i rode around with my parents and Sherry enjoying creative displays of twinkling Christmas lights in Fallston and Jarretsville. I still like blue lights the best with their cool, icy glow. Yesterday we went to my in-laws' annual open house where Jocie always makes about 25 different kinds of Christmas cookies- heaven for a pregnant woman. She had given me some of her old snowmen decorations, so a few days ago i set up a display in one of our windows. And for the first time i've gotten to have the large bulbed colored lights on our tree. (They were always white growing up.) We only managed to move one little shoebox of our Christmas ornaments here from Lancaster. I'm sure the others are still tucked away offering Christmas cheer to some corner of our old basement until we get rest of our non-vital belongings moved down. My dad's church gave us tree following their foster care dinner. The tree took the brunt of a cold and windy ride home on the roof of our station wagon (which now only produces lukewarm heat.) As a result we've had to trim it down several times and it's lost a couple feet of girth and stature and of course needles... but i really love it! We still don't have a dining room table and chairs, so it's unlikely we'll be having anyone over to see the snowmen or very "Charlie Brown" looking Christmas tree, but it's nice just for us. Speaking of, we watched "A Charlie Brown's Christmas" with Marinut, and she was enthralled- especially with any parts that included Snoopy. Our refrigerator's broken right now so we've had the old fashion fun of imagining what it was like when our great grandparents might have stored their juice and milk outside in the winter. I made a great Pandora Christmas station with Harry Connick Jr., Fred Hammond, Bing Crosby, Amy Grant, Andrea Borcelli, and Mariah Carey... and they did a great job. (Another Noel idea.) It's funny, because i really only ever listened before to Christmas music at the mall or while decorating my parents tree. This year i've just craved it. I enjoyed wrapping our few presents a couple of days ago rather than at midnight on Christmas Eve as has been my habit. We're really scaling down this year as i'm sure many people are, and i'm glad for that too. In the past we've saved up since the end of summer cuz Nate loves exchanging lots of gifts, but this year that just wasn't an option. In some ways it will make Christmas morning full of surprise to see which item on our wish list might have been thoughtfully purchased.

I'm so looking forward the days ahead of blueberry and lemon poppy seed muffins at mom and dad's, the Christmas Eve service at Harford Community Church (harfordcommunity.org), Nowegian traditions and caroling around the tree with mom's family, taking a trip up to Grandmom's, the Kitchin's Christmas Eve party, meeting up with everyone at Nathan's parents', and Noel delightfully mixing up all our plans somewhere in there by birthing my new little nephew, their second boy, to be called Malikia (did i spell it your way, guys?) I can't wait! I just love being an aunt!

So with all fun traditions in this season where the wonder of childhood springs up all over again, we can just imagine the joyful anticipation in the heavens as the Lord of Host made his way into the nativity scene. I remember a clever movie Jeremy and Jim made last year in December where Jim walked around Lancaster city with a sandwich board sign that read something like "Are you ready? Jesus is Coming!" As you've been preparing for the food, the family, the church programs and the presents, how have you prepared the way for Jesus in your lives this year?

With so many challenges this year, are strongest allies have been truth, hard work, family, and prayer. We often question where God's taking us right now in this time of life. I'll admit there've been times when the daily grind of trying to make ends meet has felt a little less than the fulfilling throws of full time ministry. But i'm trying to stop asking God what's next and just get busy preparing the way for Jesus to live and move and inspire in our daily lives. Our baby step is getting baggies of cookies and a Christmas note together to hand deliver to our neighbors. Remember this season, as we've remembering too, God knows what He's doing, and He can use you and grow you no matter what your circumstances.

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!
Love, Nathan, Katie, Maria, baby-boo, and Lucy Goosey (Boy, this house is getting full!)