... and so this is Christmas

The annual Christmas letter- 

Love 'em or loathe 'em. Read it or leave it.  

This year I included a STORIES Photography plug as well as our whole family in the signing. I don't have a patent on my parents, but they were such an integral part of our year, so this may be the first time you link here or you could be the regular(s). 

Welcome and Merry Christmas! 

I write from my viewpoint but always through the filter of "we" running in the background.  This year the "we" included a plethora of people, places, and events. Just to mention a few:






... Mark and I, wading into the wedding waters for the last time and holding hands while they danced.

... Mom and I, waiting in a doctor's office.

... Me, Max and Lilly, reading a book together or me waiting eagerly for the cutest faces in the world to appear on my iChat screen.

... Melissa and I, planning, plotting, and pinning.

... sisters and brothers sitting side by side in the historic Moody Church singing "In Christ Alone"{see video below}

... Dad with me looking through the tear-stained lens while he takes his great grandson on a spin around the farm.

... Jennifer and I (plus Ben & Melissa on a couple occasions) lugging camera equipment from town to town capturing the essence of a dozen or so wedding day love stories.

... sisters and more sisters partying and implementing all because two people fell in love.

... a truckload of family singing the Doxology, while tucked into the grey barn bay on a windy and cold engagement night.

... getting to mingle and make dear memories with the locals, long lost cousins, groom's guests and a host of old friends in the tool shed on an anointed Sept day.






...yet another, warm and lovely 10 days with the folks on the road from Remington to Bradenton.

... and various other combinations  of family, extended family, and friends eating, drinking, and making merry together.

Yes, it was an inspirational year, filled with defining moments and many miracles. A year of moving forward and looking back, but not dwelling in the past. 

A very good year.  

Some of my favorite moments, though, came at alone times. Times when a song felt like a spiritual tap on the shoulder. Times when a sunset moved me to tears. Times when the wind picked up or fell completely quiet.  Times of waking from a dream and understanding crystal clear the meaning of inheritance
has absolutely nothing to do with money. Times when life or the brevity of it moved me to make a phone call, apologize, or speak words of encouragement. Times during a sermon this realization hit me hard; there were 2 prodigal sons in the story, and I am one of them.

But my favorite times of all were when He whispered, "You are mine, you are my daughter and I love you. I want you to want me.  I am royalty. I am your father the king. A good king. I paid a great price to purchase your redemption.

Please stop your whining and negativity. Enough with your bitterness,  anger, and jealousy. Instead, live like you're my daughter. In my kingdom there are no broken relationships, there is no left and right, no sadness or depression. There is nothing but peace, gentleness, goodness, patience and kindness, in my castle.  I own the cattle on a thousand hills and there is enough wealth to share with all. Everyone. There is peace in this house. I am  not willing that any be left behind. I love you Julee and I want you to go about my works. Spend time with me. Talk to me. Read my love letter to you. Sprinkle every conversation and each blog post with eternity in mind. Live like this... "

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.....But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love. 


I wanna live like that.