Merry Christmas from the Jackson's

Nothing like getting this out last minute. So if it's after Christmas, just receive it as a Happy New Year greeting :). I debated putting something out this year, but we've had so many changes and new happenings, I thought I better catch everyone up.

Life transitions and new seasons describes our family well in 2008. We're scattered all the way from the west coast to the east coast.

Dennis and I resigned from Spring Lake Wesleyan in February and finished out our final Sunday in mid-May. In mid-July Dennis transitioned to the West MI District position giving 80% of his time to leadership development and 20% to global focus . Coaching and mentoring an amazing team of pastoral couples is a joy-filled and rewarding experience, not to mention the great friendships we are developing along the way.



The big news for Josh and Kari is the arrival of a little girl in the beginning of February! We are so excited for this little one. They are busy making preparations as they make way for parenthood. They plan to move from their Pasadena apt. to downtown LA after the new year.




In August Clint, Jamie, and Evee left Eagle Church in Indy to head to Princeton, NJ. Jamie keeps busy with mothering, various jobs, and her babygetgreen website. Clint works 20 hours a week at Princeton Alliance Church along with a full load of classes at Princeton Seminary. They are enjoying the Princeton community of new and old friends and striving to keep life "simple and peaceful" (in Jamie's words). Evee is a delightful little girl at 20 months.





Mike and Joni made a big move in August to Redmond, WA where Mike took the position of Worship Pastor at Timberlake Church upon his graduation from Point Loma University in April. They have exciting news, too - Joni is expecting in early June and they eagerly anticipate the arrival of this little one (gender to be announced later :). They enjoy the beauty of the Seattle area.





Julie continues her education at IUPUI in Indy, while she waitresses on the side. She's an environmentalist at heart as her major denotes. She's carless, choosing to ride her bike or the bus for transportation and buying all her clothes second-hand. For the past 7 months she's been dating a young man named Jascha.




God is good, He is faithful! We look forward to a great year ahead. We can't wait to have three little ones sitting on our lap next year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

TO YOU AND YOURS

IN THIS BLESSED SEASON

AND

HAPPY 2009!

No Need to be Dreamin' of a White Christmas

No question about it! With 50 inches of snow so far this December,
a white Christmas it will be!

Simply Seattle with Mike & Joni...

I loved Seattle! Absolutely beautiful!

15 weeks along... due June 11th!

Timberlake Church where Mike is worship pastor

Difficult to get a close up picture, but this
is Mike leading worship. He does a great job!

Half Price Books where Joni works

Fun store in an old 1904 building downtown Redmond
As usual, Joni's coworkers love her.

Snoqualmie Falls just a 20 minute drive from their apt.
Brrrr... as usual, the weather turned unusually cold while I was there!
Seems to happen every time I go somewhere.

Space Needle in the City Center... became a icon for
the 1962 World's Fair in Seattle

Original Starbucks at Pike's Place Market - it's amazing
to walk through the city market open year round

City sidewalks... busy sidewalks,
Dressed in holiday style...

Outside their apt. building

Love you Mike and Joni! So good to be with you!
Missing you today...

Not Sleepless in Seattle...

Really. I'm sleeping quite well here on Mike and Joni's couch.

It was on a whim that Dennis began checking out flights to Seattle just over a week ago finding a great deal out of Lansing. "Honey, do you want to go see Mike and Joni?" Since they weren't getting home for the holidays it sounded so great. It worked for me on my end, worked on their end, and here I am.

Dennis emailed me this morning that it's snowing like crazy in Spring Lake with zero wind chills. Ugh!
Although Seattle has infrequent snowfall Mike and Joni were excited to get a half inch on Saturday night. It wasn't too exciting for me.

It's been great to be here. So fun to hang out with Mike and Joni. I'll post pictures when I get back. It's beautiful here... tall evergreens, snow capped mountain backdrops, little mountain towns.

Joni has off work the next two days so we're planning to have fun - shopping, downtown Seattle, Snoqualmie Falls, and the original Starbucks in the Pike Place Market.

But the best thing about being here is seeing Joni's little tummy poking out! Yes, that's right, Joni is in her 15th week of pregnancy. Mike and Joni are expecting a little one in June and we are so excited for them.

Thanksgiving Reflections...

Thanksgiving in PA - we were happy
that Regina could join us!

Taco dinner buffet style

Papa's tacos are good!

My Dad, Josh, & Clint

The whole gang (except Mike and Joni)

Mandy Drury had a baby shower for Kari
while we were visiting in Princeton.

Baby Shower Gals
Jamie, Regina, Me, Kari, Julie, Mandy, Brooke

Mom made my hat. Do you like it?

Bath time with Grandma.

My mom had new clothes made for dolls
that I got when I was 6. What a joy to pass them onto Evee.

Baby It's Cold Outside!

Winter has certainly hit West Michigan. It's just not going to stop snowing this weekend!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We're heading home to PA to the Grubb farm for Thanksgiving. Even though my brother raises chickens, we're not having chicken, nor are we having turkey for Thanksgiving. Dennis will be stirring up a taco dinner in the kitchen this year. Looking forward to being with family. All our kids except Mike and Joni (we will miss them :( will be making their way to PA. We CAN'T WAIT to see Evee!!

Thankful for the joy and love we receive from so many of you.

Thankful for family and friends.

Thankful for Jesus, my Savior who lives and loves and will always be!

May the Lord make our love grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love overflows toward you.
1 Thess. 3:12

Full week...

I don't know how often people check out my blog, but I feel the weight of not having something new posted, especially when it's been well over a week. This has been a full week for Dennis and I, which is a good thing, but no time to post.

So, I'll give you a recap on the week and post about my time with Dr. Wesley Duewel in a few days.

Dennis had a quick trip to Houghton, NY to connect with Christian Ministry students and religion department faculty at Houghton College. Chad McCullum (one of our church planting pastors) went with him. Known for his stand-up comedy (he really does this downtown GR), Chad brought a lot of laughter to their trip. Dennis felt they made some significant connections in hopes to bring some students to West MI for summer internships next year.

We left for Gull Lake on Wednesday (Dennis' BD :) to meet up with some of the pastors and wives from our district. It was a time to just hang out, replenish and connect. Dinner that night at the Blackhawk Bar & Grill with five other couples reminded us again what great couples we have serving in this district. They have great vision for what God has called them to do and the perseverance to see it to fruition, not to mention their passion for Christ. They are all down-to-earth, real, lots of fun, and we love being a part of their lives.

Thursday several of us drove to Granger, IN to attend a Catalyst One Day Conference. Lots of practical stuff for ministry from Andy Stanley (North Point) and Craig Groeschel (LifeChurch.tv.).

Friday we spent the day in some fun, interactive training to develop skills in assessing couples with an interest in church planting. I found the material helpful not only for interviewing, but also for working with people in general. That evening we enjoyed sitting, talking and laughing with two couples who came out for a overnight get-away - long-time friends Jon and Erica Allen and new friends, Chad (mentioned above) and his wife, Julie.

Home today and a special evening out for dinner with great friends John and Jill.

So, it's been a full week, but a good week.

As we head into the week of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for friends, for life that has purpose, and God's sustaining grace.

November 22 trivia

Many may not know this, though some may, but I discovered while reading and researching C.S. Lewis that on this day,

November 22, 1963

C. S. Lewis passed away,

the same day that John F. Kennedy was assassinated.




I don't believe I even knew who Lewis was when I was in 4th grade, but I distinctly remember the day when my fellow classmates and I heard the sad news that President Kennedy was shot. Now years later, it is C.S. Lewis whose writings have influenced my faith perspective in a fresh way.

Me and My Writing...

Dennis and I spent part of last week in Indianapolis. He had a Global Partners retreat and I attended a writer's conference put on by Wesleyan Publishing House. Four years ago I found this conference very practical and resourceful. This time I went because I needed a shot in the arm. I needed some inspiration, motivation, and a confidence boost. I enjoy writing, but I let myself get in the way. My perfectionism definitely creates writer's block and stifles my creativity. My incessant need to edit while writing a first draft is nothing but a detriment. It's very frustrating. Basically, I need to get over myself.

Anne Lamont, author of one of my favorite books on writing, Bird by Bird, says that "Almost all good writing begins with terrible first drafts" and that "Big sloppy imperfect messes have value."

Keith Drury, IWU professor and author, shared that he will write 10 - 15 drafts before completion. In fact, in his newest book, CommonGround, (a worthwhile read on the apostle's creed) he turned in 19 drafts.

As any writer knows, it's easy to be sensitive about one's writing. Putting words out there for all the world to read is a very vulnerable thing to do. Prior to the conference one of the faculty members asked for volunteers to turn in a two-page prose for his workshop, "Thick-Skinned Critiques." I decided to take the plunge. If I want to get over myself, I figured, I need to take critique and edits graciously rather than defensively. My paper ended up on the overhead with all kinds of squiggly lines for all the workshop attendees to see. I amazed myself - no turning red, no hot-flashes, and no defensive spirit. I actually sat there acting very cool as if it wasn't my paper, although I did claim it at the end and said thanks for the critique. My skin must be getting tougher, thank goodness.

So, I'm going to set myself outside and get on with writing sloppy imperfect messes. I don't want to tell you how many times I've stopped just in this brief post to edit. Yikes...this is a problem.

I've got more to tell you about our trip to Indy - time with Julie and an appointment with a great man of faith. That's for another day.

Sundays...

Yesterday was no different than most Sundays for us. Every Sunday Dennis and I visit a different church (mostly church plants) in the West Michigan District and every Sunday we are encouraged and amazed at the good work being done in the communities in which these churches serve.

Seventeen church plants exist in our district and we are grateful for the young couples (many with young families) who serve so diligently and faithfully to bring the Good News of Jesus to their communities, not only on Sunday mornings, but throughout the week in very practical and tangible ways.

To name a few... Overflow church meets at the Cinema Carousel theater bringing hope and bridging the gap between racial divides in the Benton Harbor/St. Joseph area. Epic church packs out an old American Legion in the small community of Portland. We were able to witness two baptisms at Epic yesterday. Amazing stories of life change. City Life crosses ethnic and socioeconomic boundaries to reach out to those in downtown Grand Rapids. (See the link list at the right of churches we have visited.) Each one has stories of people who have found new life in Jesus.

"... the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."

We are always encouraged and uplifted to be a part of the church across the district and proud of the young couples who sacrificially serve in love.

For all you voters and Starbucks lovers...

Hopefully you don't need any incentives, but here's a nice reward for your vote.

Beautiful Fall Day...

Took a walk along the channel today and half way out on the pier. On a windy day, as it was today, the channel waters always remind me of the vats of chocolate at the Hershey Chocolate Factory where I would go as a kid for school field trips. The large mixers would push great waves of chocolate around in vats the size of a swimming pool. The waters churning in the channel always bring that memory to mind.


Once I was out on the pier, I couldn't go past the first lighthouse or I would have had a second shower for the day. Even so, the walk to that point was sending a mist over the pier as the waves rolled up over the concrete wall.




The sun was shining and the fresh air was exhilarating. The wind surfers were enjoying what mother nature brought their way today. And the seagulls seemed to be unaffected by the winds.



A gorgeous fall day in West Michigan...

Keeping it in perspective... (the election that is)

I've been thinking about all the election stuff for quite some time, listening to debates, reading articles from a variety of sources, and discussing it with others. One of the things that has come to my mind in the last week or so is this: it seems many are looking for a savior in our next president - someone who can save us from the economic crisis, the war, injustices, Washington.

I read this post - Frustrated with Politics & Christians - from Perry Noble today and his words resonated with my thoughts. Obviously he is speaking to Christians here, so please read it in that context. Here's his final comments:

One more time…YES, we should have political opinions…and YES, it is OK if they are strong AND we believe in the cause…BUT PLEASE let’s not make the mistake of thinking that God is somehow limited by the policies and philosophies of a particular party!

HE REIGNS! Always has, always will!

It's good to keep it in perspective...

Domestic Stuff and Gender Roles...

Dennis and I are getting our empty nest roles figured out, at least in the kitchen that is.

I mentioned before that since the kids have been gone Dennis has picked up the meal planning and preparation, which I love (since I don't really like to cook). It's not like I don't ever cook, but it just works out well this way for us.

We traded. He cooks and I clean up. Actually, I like cleaning up. Really. But I still feel like I should contribute something to the meal. Maybe I'm having a hard time giving up preconceived gender roles.

But, I do enjoy baking or making desserts, which has given me a place to contribute to the meal. Today I made raspberry pie, Dennis' favorite (summer raspberries preserved in the freezer). Tomorrow it's apple pies made with the Ida Reds we picked at the orchard in September, with my made-from-scratch crust which I've been using for the past 28 years. I love getting a fully prepared unbaked apple pie out of the freezer in the middle of winter... warm out of the oven with a little vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream. Yum... so good.

Who says only a woman's place is in the kitchen? Why not both? Call it teamwork - doing what you do best and enjoy the most... makes a great meal, a happy husband and a happy wife!

Books, Faith, and the Ordinary

Books often have a way of speaking into my soul. It's not unusual for the Holy Spirit to nudge me about a certain book that ends up being timely in my life. Recently I had one of those times... I was cleaning our bedroom when I glimpsed a letter our daughter Jamie had sent us eight summers ago while living in Denver just after she completed high school. Months before, when getting the house ready for sale, I had sorted through sentimental boxes filled with cards, notes, and letters from Dennis, with an occasional card or note from one of the kids. I pulled Jamie's letter from the box and laid it on the bottom shelf of a small table in our room. For some reason it sparked my interest and I had hoped to get to it sooner than later.... but with a busy summer, the "later" won out... in the middle of a cleaning day.

I turned off the vacuum and sat down to read again what Jamie had written on the back of a few copied pages from Elisabeth Elliot's, These Strange Ashes - a book instrumental in her life during a summer that she describes as a time of "brokenness." Finishing the letter, I turned the copied pages over to read portions from a chapter in the book that were particularly meaningful to Jamie. Elliot's words drew me in. I wanted to read more. Thankfully I discovered These Strange Ashes occupied space on my book shelf.

I turned the pages to the chapter that Jamie was referring to in her letter. I could resonate with Elliott's words, the questions she pondered. She wrote, "Faith's most severe tests come not when we see nothing, but when we see a stunning array of evidence that seems to prove our faith vain."

Before I went back to my cleaning, I knelt by my bed, and as E.E. in her transparency shares, I "bowed down before that which I could not possibly explain."

Her words encouraged me, but more than that, the divine exchange in my room that day was a turning point for me - surrendering that which I could not explain and accepting what is given. In so doing, God gives Himself - His cleansing, peace, and joy for the unexplainable... the essence of Isaiah 61:3. It is only when I allow this divine exchange to take place that I have something to offer to others.

Elliot finishes the chapter with this: "I saw that to God nothing is finally lost. All the scriptural metaphors about the death of the seed that falls into the ground, about losing one's life... all these go on to something unspeakably better and more glorious. Loss and death are only the preludes to gain and life."

And so, I'm thankful for books that feed the soul,
a faith that is living and real,
and days like this where God meets me in the middle of the ordinary.

One debt we don't need to get out of...

I read recently that one of the best things we Americans can do in this economic crisis is to get out of debt. Isn't that the whole problem, at the federal level right down to where we live day to day? Spending beyond our means is what got us where we're at in the first place for both of the above. Dennis and I have always tried to live within our means. Many times that meant going without something we wanted or thought we needed, but we always had enough. The peace of mind of being debt-free (except our home) is worth it!

But, there is one debt that we should never stop paying back. Perhaps the apostle Paul had the best advice for our troubled times when he wrote, Pay all your debts, except the debt of love for others. You can never finish paying that!

What if love outweighed the debt of money? With the trillions of dollars that make up the federal deficit, there would be a lot of love to go around!

Maybe it would be a different world if we thought more about how we can show love to others than how we can make more money to sustain a lifestyle. Just a thought.

Being true to yourself...

In wrapping up some posts on knowing who you are, I must add that I believe the crux to all this - strengths, passions, gifts - is that we are most true to ourselves when we find our identity in Christ.

Walking in a deep and abiding relationship with Christ brings us closer to the true self that God created us to be. Thomas Merton in his book, New Seeds of Contemplation, explains that one discovers himself by discovering God. It is in God that the reason and fulfillment of one's existence is found. Without him, we lose sight of who we are. Left to myself, with a desire to exist outside of God’s will and love, I become an illusion, covered up by deception. So, in a sense, one aspect of salvation is redemption from my own deceived self. I believe this is what Paul meant in his letter to Timothy when he wrote, "Watch your life (how you live) and doctrine (what you believe) closely, for by it you will save both yourself and your hearers."

Living in the truth of who God is, we find ourselves... operating in our strengths, passions, and gifts to His honor and glory. Hmmm, maybe this is one aspect of what Jesus meant when he spoke of humanity being "lost"- he rejoices when we "find" in Him the truths of our own identity, because he knows that it is in this discovery that we will make our greatest unique impact in the world.

Be true to yourself...

God-given gifts...

In addition to strengths and passions, I cannot miss the fact that we also have God-given gifts. There is so much that could be shared about the gifts, but simply put... they are given uniquely to each one of us by God through His Spirit, to be used for the benefit of others, for His glory.

N.T. Wright suggests this is how “Jesus makes the church into his own ‘fullness’, giving us his own presence by the Spirit.” He goes on to say, “What matters is that, even with all the different gifts that Jesus has lavished on the church, it is the same Jesus, the same Lord, who is personally present, by the spirit, in each of them.”

You’ll find lists of the different gifts in the following three passages in scripture – Romans 12:1-8, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4:11-13. Each gift is of equal value, not to be neglected. They range from helping others, to teaching, to giving, to administration, and so many others. The important thing is that we use our gifts! 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT) speaks to this: “God has given gifts to each of you from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Manage them well so that God’s generosity can flow through you.”

I find it interesting that both the Romans and 1 Corinthians passages on the gifts are followed up with the importance of doing all things in love. “Love must be sincere,” Paul says in Romans 12:9. And most people are familiar with 1 Corinthians 13 that rings with the message that we can use all the gifts, but if “I didn’t love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.”

Strengths. Passions. Gifts.

Done in love.

Give God glory.

Mike and Joni!

Mike and Joni were home this weekend for his brother's wedding. We loved every minute we got to spend with them! Take a quick scroll through our time together...

An afternoon of bowling.

Our favorite bowling alley in downtown Holland
has closed down :(, so we ended up at Century Lanes.

The guy below had "all marks" on his game.
Yep, that's Dennis' 212 score you see.

What more can I say?

84 East - Mike and Joni's favorite place to eat!

Couldn't pass up the candy store!

This one's for Kari :).

Mike & Joni went to Watermark.
Dennis' parents joined Dennis & I as we visited
Frontline Church in GR and
we all met up for a Chinese buffet.

So great to have you Mike & Joni.
We're going to miss you!