Celebrating Jesus!

          Every year we share a letter sharing some of our highlights of the past year and I have decided this year to share it with you on my blog.  Please accept our wishes for a blessed Christmas and a great new year.  Please remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

          "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want."  Psalm 23 has become more meaningful to us during this Pandemic than ever before.  Indeed the Lord has provided all that we have needed during these months of isolation and we thank Him for His provision and faithfulness.

          The year has held many challenges for us including a fire.  Fortunately, nobody was hurt and a rehabilitation service has helped us get back to normal.  The year also contained many physical challenges for us.  We have seen many doctors, had dozens of tests, ultrasounds, CT scans, MRI's, procedures and surgeries.  In October Barry had 25 kidney stones removed.  We're fortunate to have so many good doctors and medical facilities here in Lancaster County, although I think we may have used too many of them.

          We have missed being with our family during the past year of isolation.  Our three sons have been battling to keep their businesses operating during current limitations and cases of Covid among their employees.   We did get to spend a little time with family in October when Taylor married Daniel Cetnar in an outdoor wedding on a beautiful fall day.  They are living in State College where Taylor continues to serve with Disciplemakers and Daniel is completing his work on his Doctor's Degree in chemical engineering.  Both are at Penn State.

         Our daughters-in-law and grandchildren are following safety recommendations and are doing well.  Our oldest grandson, Zachary, has been a tremendous help to us, cutting our grass, gathering our many leaves and doing jobs that we can no longer do ourselves.  Joshua continues to work on his Doctor's Degree in chemistry at Penn State.  His brother, Noah, graduated from Lebanon Valley College and is now in his first year of medical school.  Chloe continues her studies in the honors program at Messiah College.  Her sister, Lexie, is a junior at Conestoga Valley and is serving as editor of the school's newspaper.  Her brother, Brodie, is a 9^th grader at CV.  He has grown several inches during the Pandemic and now is almost as tall as his dad.

          We have also missed our church family and our former ministries.  Our doctors have advised us not to attend church because of our physical conditions and we have obeyed their warnings. And while masks are suggested they are not required.  We do watch our church's streaming services and we continue to manage our church e-mail prayer chain.  Barry continues to reach folks around the world with his weekly hymn blog (barryshymns.blogspot.com).

          In 2020, like many of you, we have learned to do many normal things in different ways.  We are using online shopping for our foods and many other purchases.  And we have had more time to study the Bible and pray.  We are praying for others, praying that God can still use us, praying that we will all be spared from Covid and that in 2021 things will return to "normal".  Or even better yet, maybe this will be the year that Jesus comes.  What a marvelous solution that would be!

        We don't know what the coming months will hold but we do know that God is in control and holds our future.  Great is His faithfulness!  "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters, He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake … surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."