helping mom

Spending time with mom yacking away

Christmas Eve

We had a wonderful candlelight service. The Lord blessed us with Brother Dial leading us in Christmas songs to sing. Sister Carrie brought us a thought provoker on giving gifts. She had some beautiful gifts wrapped up and compared how or why we give our gifts. Some may have strings attached, a pretty box but empty inside, expecting something in return ,etc. She compared this to how we give our gifts to Jesus. this was followed by lighting our candles and circling the sanctuary sing silent night.  The spirit of God was so evident.  None of us wanted to leave and we continued singing.

John and I than went out to mom's. A well loved tradition and had  a simple supper followed by opening christmas presents. I do believe my mother in law is set for chocolate for awhile.

End of the year

Its the day after Christmas. Wow, this month has been so much fun.  I am just going to take each day to end of year on focusing on pictures and fun times.  So much can be taken for granted.  My Christmas village, I put up every year. My Emma had never seen it, I have lived in the mid west all her life.  She was so excited to see it, something I took for granted. God has given us such a full life!  I live with no regrets.   Serving Jesus has been the best thing for me and my marriage. He has been there for us always.  And all the friends we have and still have. Ones heart just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Lets not take our family and friends and most of all Jesus for granted.

This year has been a Christmas of new traditions. My mother in law suggested we have a progressive dinner.  We used 4 homes, we were able to enjoy each others decorations. Each one home was able to play host. Our final decision?.... This tradition is a keeper!

Merry Christmas!  We hope this finds you well.  As you may know, we don’t normally do Christmas letters. But I guess one every 4 year-10 years should not be too hard on anyone.

It’s been an exciting year. For the past 12 years, we have lived in the mid-west, mainly in Wisconsin, a small town of 5,000. We have been driving (John) school bus and I have been the aide. We use to say we lived, worked and breathe together 24/7.  We loved working with kids that had special needs. Many have begun coming to our Sunday School. It was a job we loved even in spite of difficult challenges. We felt we were where God wanted us for the time being.

The Lord has offered us a new opportunity. We haved back to Oregon, to our home town.  In many ways it’s a culture shock. We always thought we had grown up in a small town. We really didn’t know what a small town was.

I Have a job I adore.  I was really nervous about applying for jobs. God is so good. He led me to a christian day care. I was hired as a tempary which led to me shadowing a boy and helping him. Because of my experience with kids on our school bus the last 10 years, I knew ways to help him. It is a joy to see him learn and interact with me and others. It is a joy to talk about  and read about Jesus every day. To pray  before snack and meal. And as a group pray for each other during the day. My job is now 25 hours a week. If he is in school, I work.

John is working part time installing gutter with a very patient friend. It is good to be near our friends and family here. But truly we have friends all over. Like the song “friends are friends forever if the Lord is the Lord of them.”

God is so good. He knew I would need extra time to get ready for christmas. Last week coming home on a foggy night. I was t-boned by someone running a stop sign. He was looking down to find address on phone and ran a stop sign when he hit me.  After many tests at er, I was released to go home to rest and do nothing. Still stiff and sore ,but it could have been so much worse.                                                                               May God Bless you this Christmas and in the coming Year,

John and Paula Jordan