As we head into the heart of Christmas, I want to thank all my readers for your consistent support. I’m going to take a week or two hiatus while I enjoy my first holiday season out of the retail world in almost two decades! My son is home from Texas and Karen and I are going to take full advantage of our time together!

The following is the letter that we placed in our Christmas cards this year and I would like to share it with you, my family and friends. Merry Christmas to you all and look for new posts after the first of the year. May it be a blessed one for us all!

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Well, our long overdue Christmas letter is finally before you. 2017 and 2018 were full of many transitions, so much so, that a letter last year just wasn’t forthcoming. There were many struggles and hurdles to overcome but we have had each other and we are so grateful that our heavenly Father has strengthened us and guided us all along the way. 2019 holds much promise of many good things which we are looking forward to with much anticipation!

Karen is in her 17th year teaching at Highland Local Schools. And you might not realize it, but teaching does not get any easier as time goes on. Problems that once plagued upper grades now fill the ranks of younger children. Please keep them and your public educators in your prayers.

In October of 2017, Karen had a much needed surgical procedure on her back, fusing two vertebrae together – bolts included. She was a wonderful patient and though she will never be 100% (arthritis factors in as well) she is so much better! For an entire year she could not bend, twist or lift anything over 25 pounds but this past October she was released by her surgeon to (with caution) return life to normal. We were so blessed to have such a talented surgeon and staff to see to her care.

I don’t think that we could love each other any more than we do (But we’re up to the task)! We celebrated our 32nd Anniversary this year and continue to mesh our talents as we work together in everything that God sets before us.

Massey is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as his work in the doctoral program at Texas A&M should be wrapping up before the end of next year. Prior to Thanksgiving this year he had the privilege to present at the Annual Meeting of the American Physical Society’s Division of Fluid Dynamics in Atlanta. It was stressful getting to that point but he did well and it was great preparation for his upcoming thesis. We are so proud of his work ethic and the fine young man he continues to be. He does nothing halfway but gives everything to the task at hand. We look forward to our time together here at Christmas!

He still plays Pokémon Go and it continues to be a wonderful social outlet for him. Over the last couple of years, his group has joined with a local restaurant to support local efforts to raise funds for the construction of a special needs playground at a park in the College Station area. To date, they have contributed over $2,200!

And me? My life has taken a total turn! As of December 1st, I will no longer be an employee of Kohl’s! The way things have worked out, my last day I will have served Kohl’s for 18 years and 3 days. I have had many opportunities for ministry in my third “church” – weddings and funerals included. It has been a good run but as November 19th I am a certified school bus driver for Highland Local Schools! It took much longer to get to this point than I thought but I can surely testify to the Lord’s perfect timing! I am excited about the many prospects, my interaction with my kids has been great, I will have 4+ hours in the middle of each day for sermon/service preparation and visitation, and Karen and I will have the same schedule – weekends, holidays, summer vacation and snow days, too! The Lord has just worked out every little detail and I thank Him daily for His abundant blessing!

I continue to love serving the people of Beulah and Liberty Chapel. I pray the Lord will lead me to a new opportunity with them and our impact in our communities.  Time has been a little tight with work, church and preparing to take my bus test but I am still blogging and Ephesians 1:4 continues to inspire me. “Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” What an awesome statement! We are all so blessed to be “more than useless”!

We pray that you have sought out God in your life –if not He is diligently reaching out to you. We pray that His love and compassion fill you as you strive to fulfill His calling upon you – for nothing is more important. Merry Christmas!

With a never ceasing love! Thom, Karen, and Massey

Dec 20th, 2018, Thurs, 10:02 pm