Merry Christmas!

Another year is nearly done, and what a year it has been! It has been a year of joy in watching our boys grow, spending time with friends and family, and having meaningful work. It has also been a year with its moments of sadness and pain in having to say goodbye to Grandpa Walker and Aunt Ruth and in watching Maddie go through treatment for cancer.

Thanks for the picture, Mark Leonard!

Through it all, though, it has been a year in which we have been reminded of the many blessings God showers upon us daily—both physically and spiritually. We are part of a church family that loves us and challenges us to grow daily in our faith and to be disciples of Christ in a radical way. We are part of a school community that not only provides Paul with a wonderful working environment and great colleagues but also cares for our child and teaches him to both learn more about the world around him and also that he is a child of God and has a Savior in Jesus Christ. We have a home that is warm and dry, and we have more than we could ever want. I do not like taking out the trash, but it is a reminder that God blesses us with our daily bread and more. We have family and friends whom we love and who care for us. What a blessing!

At Brad's during our AZ visit

And in this Christmas season we are reminded that all of this is really insignificant in comparison to knowing Jesus as our Savior. Everything in our lives has to be about Jesus and center around knowing him and serving him. And that is my hope for this upcoming year—that we might not lose focus of Jesus and continue to grow in him daily.

Merry Christmas from our family to you! We praise God that you are a part of our lives! May you know the peace that comes through Christ not only this Christmas but also in 2012. 

Love, the Lapkas