My Family Christmas Card

I know, I know - you wanted dome postcard sent to you. Next year. I wasn't on top of it this year.

For as long as I can remember, my parents have sent a Christmas letter. It's full of career updates, marriages, birth announcements. They have five kids, after all, so something is always going on. My dad does a great job of sharing updates without being fake, and he always shares some Christmas message at the end. This year, the Christmas card was a sweet picture of Mom and Dad with their seven grandchildren, but I missed the family update, because our family is doing so much.

Julie and Jeromy had their first baby this year. It was a hard, heart breaking journey, but they persevered, grew stronger together, grew stronger in their faith, and were blessed with a little angel, Eloise Joy. Eloise means warrior, and she is their warrior of joy, a perfect marriage of their personalities. At ten months, she has the social acumen of Julie, and the curiosity of Jeromy. Julie is exploring new career opportunities while enjoying motherhood, and Jeromy is thriving in his role, but, more exciting (for us at least), is in the process of obtaining his green card.

Gail and Mitch continue to push their boundaries, raising four strong children while building an ice cream empire. Mitch was honored as a high school football coach, which is much deserved, because every day, he helps form strong young mean. Together, Gail and he extend the boundaries of an ice cream shop, creating an atmosphere where community is built. The impact is beyond satisfied indulgences, evidenced by the fact that they won the best ice cream in Cleveland for the second year. Their passion and drive extends to their children, whether it's Caleb coming into his own as a quarterback or Bri pushing herself to be one of the top swimmers in the state. And the younger ones, they're so fun to see grow.

Lydia and Will are enjoying Columbus, though they miss the Redding Terminal donuts in Philadelphia. They started their own ice cream truck business this year, and it has made them stronger as a family. They are learning one another's strengths and positively impacting their community. Mabel is growing into a beautiful young lady who loves to hunt with her father and read with her mother. And Ida is a charismatic firecracker who shares her mother's flair for the dramatic. It's funny how siblings can have such different personalities, and yet, I understand that, because there are five of us, and we are all so different.

Philip and Courtny continue to make one another laugh. They have had a couple amazing trips together this year which are documented in creative wonder via lip syncing and talented photography. Currently, they are working in reporting and marketing in Virginia, and they are both navigating their next steps in life together. While that path is not exactly clear yet, we know they will do great things.

As for Anna, she's doing alright. She graduated with her MBA in May, and she started her role at Amazon in July - folks, if you are in in the market for a chassis, search Amazon! They have it. She is conflicted when Michigan and Ohio State play one another, so we have considered cutting her out of the family update; thankfully, we are gracious. She is enjoying Seattle, and she is so grateful for the opportunity to build new friendships and strengthen those of the past. While she deeply misses being near family, she is blown away by the number of close relationships she has with people she has known for a relatively short amount of time. For that matter, she's blown away by the people she has met throughout her adult life that continue to walk with her through celebrations, through heartbreak, through good and hard times, and who have taught her that life is this beautiful little story with an unpredictable end and who have offered practical advice that helps her along the way. More than that, she's grateful for the people who make her feel like family, because that's the most important thing to her.

Mom and Dad are doing well. Dad coached his grandson's baseball team, and the players vastly improved. Mom continued to stand by each of her children and give her heart to those around her. They also helped their daughter navigate another move to a different, and without them, she would have been lost.

This year's been a hard one for the family - one for the books. Yet, it's proven many things we knew all along. We are strong. We decide to love and stand by one when another, even when it's difficult. We communicate and work through our struggles. And at the end of the day, we will always be family, and nothing compares to that bond. And we all love to laugh.

I love Christmas carols, because when you really listen to the lyrics, they're powerful. I don't know if it qualifies as a carol, but Come Thou Fount is on Sufjan Stevens Christmas album, so that's close enough. The final verse reads: "O to grace how great a debtor, daily I'm constrained to be. Let that goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee. Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love. Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above."

What an apt picture of the human condition. Without grace, we are broken. The Christmas message, no matter your belief, is about grace. For others, and for yourself. For me, it's about recognizing that while I am prone to wander, the Lord is there, and he is continuing to weave an intricate story that positively impacts those around me, builds me, and glorifies Him. Why wouldn't I want to be chained to that? As for my heart, the more life I live, the more I recognize that there is one consistency, and that is the unwavering love of God. That's what Christmas means to me this year.