Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all! We hope you and your family have a great Christmas. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, may it remind us of the hope, peace and forgiveness which we have received.

The night before Christmas the world lay in darkness and despair. Hope was in short supply. Sin seemed to abound more than ever. Where was the light, the ray of hope the salvation of God? Oh how quickly things can change. For the very next night when Jesus Christ was born, everything changed! Hope was born, the light of the world came into the world, despair was dashed sin was no match. Jesus Christ, our living hope, had come. The good news of that night was heralded to shepherds who were told, "Behold I bring you good news of great joy which shall be for all people. For born unto you this day in the city of David is a Savior, Christ the Lord."

The news of Christmas is good news and it is for all people. The good news isn't so much about an event as it is a person. Jesus has been born! His birth was the commencement of a mission to offer Himself as the sacrifice for our sin, in essence creating a bridge from humanity to God no longer characterized by enmity and strife, but peace. That good news is still good news for each and every one of us today!

Merry Christmas to you and we pray you will be reminded of the good news of Jesus and what it personally provides to each of us.

A quick glance at the last few months looks something like this:

Sarah is continually the amazing wife and mother. She has been wonderfully managing our crazy family life and schedule. Primarily, she has been working to complete necessary enrollment forms for Isaac as he begins school next Fall. WOW! She has also been assisting me with homework (more on that in a moment).

Isaac is continuing to grow up too fast. I have tried to slow the process but have been a complete failure. He continues to love sports and the PlayStation with a passion. Though I have tried to indoctrinate he, Ethan and Micah to be Tennessee Volunteer fans, he bounces between a number of teams and even a great Tennessee rival--Florida! He even got his Nene to buy him a Florida Gators sweatsuit. Of course, grandparents seem to buy whatever their grandchildren desire. I just hope I can undue the damage that's been done. Just kidding. I always say to him and Ethan, whatever you do and wherever you go (whatever team you play for), I just want you to love and follow Jesus.

Ethan started preschool this year and appears to be an old pro. He too is growing up. He has become quite animated and able to make everyone laugh. His favorite team is the Tarheels it seems, but that can also change about as quickly as Isaac changes. Ethan is a great help to his mommy. He loves to work in the kitchen, baking, cooking and so on. What I most enjoy seeing in Ethan is his determination (though it can be used in some very sinful ways). But when we play football in the yard, Ethan usually is the smallest one on the field, though you would never know it. He runs, tackles and engages like everybody else. I pray he will live so determined in his life as a follower of Christ.

Micah is doing well right now. No major or excessively long hospital stays in the last few months. We have had one back in September, but it wasn't too long. He has begun to use his walker more and more over the last several months. He was fitted for and received his braces for his legs to help with the muscle strength. Recently he began to take his first steps by himself. On Monday, December 21, he actually walked all around the house by himself. It is amazing to see! He has also begun to eat table food exclusively (no more bottled nutrition). His favorite--Chicken! And not just any chicken...it has to be breaded chicken. His vocabulary has improved greatly where he is almost or right at the level with kids his own age. Just last week, Sarah and I took him and his brothers to a Day Camp at our church where Micah stayed the entire time. He did wonderfully. We were thrilled to see how far he has come and how well he is doing.

As for me, I continue to enjoy playing with my kids and trying to model Christ for my family. I continue to serve at Bay Leaf. One new thing in my life is going back to school. This Fall I finished the application process and entrance exam for the Ph.D. program at Southeastern Seminary. I was accepted and quickly began work for classes in January. It's a lot of reading and writing. Sarah has been helping with the reading and editing. I enjoy the challenge, the material and growing.

With all that said and shared, we praise the Lord for all that He is and all He has done! Merry Christmas to you and to all!