Merry Christmas!

If you're inclined toward more traditional forms of celebration (as I am), here are several Christmas-theme hymns that I've found to be quite meaningful:

• Angels We Have Heard on High
• Come Thou Long Expected Jesus
• O Come, O Come Emmanuel
• Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
• O Come All Ye Faithful
• Angels from the Realms of Glory
• What Child Is This?
• Joy to the World

You'll be relieved to know that I'm not singing on any of these recordings, and that I'm not planning on putting out a Christmas album of my own anytime soon. Still, I hope you'll enjoy tracking along with what these more musically accomplished folks have done.

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By way of an annual update on our family, my sister and brother and I have each moved to a new location within the course of this past year. Diane and her husband Geoffrey are in North Carolina now, and Tom has moved to a new apartment in Denver.

I recently moved to the southeast corner of South Dakota. This new location doesn't exactly parallel my having lived in the southeastern U.S. for many years, though I'm happy with the choice as I continue to settle in here.

While we each continue to mourn the loss of our parents over these last few years, we rejoice in knowing that they're with Christ now, their redeemer and ours. It is with Him that they always knew they would find their ultimate home. Our hope is the same, and that many others will someday join in with that joyous eternal reunion.

Briefly looking back, those of you who knew my parents will recall that they were both world travelers and life-long learners, though they pursued these interests in different ways. My dad loved to travel the world with family members and friends, and he was an avid reader throughout his life, mostly favoring history and biographies.

My mom went about things in a different way, though one that I think is equally valid. In cleaning out their house this past summer, I came across this quote that she had saved, one which I believe accurately conveys her approach to life:

“Become friends with people who aren’t your age. Hang out with people whose first language isn’t the same as yours. Get to know someone who doesn’t come from your social class. This is how you see the world. This is how you grow.”

I think of my parents as having been a gift to so many of us. If you'd like to know more about them (or would enjoy some fond memories among those of you who knew them), please feel free to peruse the family photo albums and other links I've collected here (among various articles that I hope will offer a helpful, edifying, or otherwise encouraging word). 

God's grace to you as you strive on in good faith, and according to His calling through the times ahead.

Sincerely,

Jim

[Thanks very much for these kind responses.]