11/27/23

 Dear family,

                I feel double blessed when Bobby not only makes yummy food but uses items we already have to keep the price down.  Yay!  I truly enjoy coming home to amazing, yummy eggs, ham, and biscuits.   Delicious! 

                Bobby and I enjoyed spending time decorating for Christmas, playing a board game and just being.  We took time off this holiday season, and I am glad to have a mini staycation during all the busyness.  I enjoy our time together.

                Thanksgiving is always filled with yummy food and great company.  I am glad for God’s blessings.  It is good to gather and celebrate what we are thankful for.  I truly enjoy being where there is love.  My favorite is when we laugh so hard there are red faces and even tears.  That is good times.

                Saturday Bobby mowed the lawn and made yummy tuna casserole.  I am blessed when he puts effort into our home and hearts. 

                Seth didn’t want to go to Thanksgiving dinner even though we were going less than a mile away.  We convinced him to at least come for the meal and I saw him smiling, conversing, and enjoying himself.  I am glad he makes the effort to get out of the house even when he doesn’t want to.

                Adriel visited with us a bit and it was nice to have her home.  We had good conversations and are glad she shares her heart and feelings.  I am blessed that she also joined us for Thanksgiving dinner and am warmed to laugh with her and enjoy great company.

                We are so blessed to be so loved!  May you also feel God’s hand in your life and guidance in your path.  May you feel his presence as you search his face.  Much love,

 

 

Cristy

 

11/20/23

Dear family,

 

            Anticipation gives joy even before an event has begun.  We are shopping, planning, and getting ready for Thanksgiving.  The stores are experiencing so much activity and I enjoy the hours I get even when not scheduled.  Thankfulness is a skill to be practiced year-round.  I enjoy the focus now though – we are so blessed. 

            Tuesday night I enjoyed the joking during lesson time.  Bobby asked what people are most thankful for when getting together for dinner.  Some people said family, “I get to see my grandparents.”  That was super sweet!  I also enjoyed it when someone said, “I like the turkey”.  Bobby’s retort, “So ---- is visiting!”  Wa, wa, funny. 

            One question was about the word conform.  Bobby asked someone, “What does the word conform mean?”  They were at a loss for words, so Bobby said, “You know playdough?”  Rich retorted, “Yeah, I know Plato, he was an interesting guy.”  Bobby, “Yeah, you were alive when he was.”

            Bobby rested and cooked ham and bean soup on Thursday.  It was super yummy, and I enjoyed the meal after a full shift at work.  How blessed we are with food, shelter, and love.

            Because pastor Lon said he enjoys reading our library book, “God’s Answers to Prayer” I have enjoyed delving into the last couple years of prayer requests to find out if our church members are willing to go on record about their requests.  I enjoy seeing God at work. 

            Bringing my cat to the vet reminds me of God and the hardships we endure.  Our cat is not comfortable when the car drives.  She is scared, meows a lot of questions, and wants to hide under my feet.  She doesn’t enjoy the view at all.  I believe this is just like when we go through hardships.  I feel so out of control, want to hide, and feel uncomfortable.  I don’t enjoy the view even though nature cries out a testimony of God’s grace, beauty, and joy.  Our cat also doesn’t like the vaccine shot.  It hurts, they poke and prod her – so much discomfort.  Sometimes we wonder why God has us go through hardships.  He is clear, James 1:2”Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, ^a whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  His ways are not our ways, we have no clue what is going on – but it’s for our good, maturity, and God’s plan. 

            Adriel visited on Friday, and chatting with her and her longtime friend Zander was fun.  They were sweet and then off they went to a concert.  How fun. 

            Seth agreed to accompany us on our yearly Seattle visit.  Yay for doing homework ahead of time.  He also drove Adriel to the bus station.  I am glad he is willing to go out of his way to help his sister, He even asked her, “Do you want me to wait with you?”.  Because I was on my way to work, I thanked him, “I would have just had her get out and, “Go, go now.”  He was like, “She’s your daughter!”

            May you find joy in the view even when there are difficulties in your life.  May you be kind to those around you who also have their own difficulties.  May we be kind as we go through this testing ground which we call life.

Love and hugs,

 

 

 

Cristy

PS, the picture is of the massive amount of birds in the sky 11/19/23.  Anyone have an explanation for that?  It was creepy!

11/13/23

 Dear family,

            It’s amazing how much attention our bodies need.  Feeding alone can happen three times a day – let’s not get started on how we crave sleep, need exercise and avoid pain like crazy.  Just eating and thinking about what we want to eat can take an abundance of time.  Seth cooked lasagna I had made a while back and froze.  He had been eyeing it for a while and finally it was time.  I enjoy the food.  I’m glad Seth put forth the effort.

            Bobby made a friend’s grandma’s recipe of Beef Stroganoff.  It was yummy and his friend was tickled.  How fun, the recipe lives on 😊.  

            Middle school group was full of laughter and fun.  I played foosball as a pair and was chagrined when the ball flew through my goalie.  The student’s response, “You had one job, Cristy!”  That makes me laugh again as I am writing it.  Youth say the funniest things.  I was then challenged to flick chess which I enjoyed thoroughly even though I lost 5 games.  It’s just so fun to see the pieces fly! 

During the lesson time Bobby mentioned that “C---------- comes E--- to us . .” (Exodus 5:1-22) Bobby asked me to mention the one thing he complains about at home.  I rattled off three and could have gone further when he realized he might complain more than he thinks.  I turned to the female beside me and said, “He’s a baby whiner.”  She said, “But you love him, don’t you?”  And indeed, I do, very much.  Later, I had to ask (because of his surprise at how much he complains) if I complain at home.  He mentioned one thing and couldn’t think of more.  Yup – it’s in us all.  The innate ability to feel disgruntled.  I like the Message’s 1 Peter 4:1 “Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.”  That sums it up quite nicely.  (The blanks are “Complaining comes easy to us”.)

            High school group had great chats and fun thinking.  I enjoyed brainstorming with someone who is writing a book that will include characters based on the people around her.  Sadly, several people will be killed off but that’s OK because they will come back as ghosts.

            Bobby tried a joke that I thought had the best answers.  What is free and full of teeth?  One student said, “Me.”  When Bobby came back with, “A smile” another student said, “You think that’s free?  Don’t you know how much the dentist costs!”  Ahhh, yes, I remember my parents complaining about the cost of braces.  “We could have bought a jet ski instead”.  Good times.

            A fill in the blank that made me chuckle was this.  (Romans 5:25-5) Understand C--------- actually S--------- us.  A student shouted out, “Communism actually separates us!”  Not even close. . it was ‘challenges actually strengthen us.’

            Thursday Bobby and I went on date night because we could!  The food at Keizer Pho is so yummy I told Bobby that if he drank from the bowl, I would take a picture.  Good times.  YUM!

   

         Adriel continues to let me know she is alive and sometimes we even get to chat, which is special.  Because I was wrapping Christmas presents, Adriel reminisced about how she used to take the boxes of wrapping paper, bags, ribbon, and such upstairs in her room.  It reminded her of the bounty at the Gilbert house and that gave me joy.  That’s as crafty as I get.  Present wrapping and scrapbooking.

            Friday Bobby went on a retreat with the middle schoolers.  I am thankful we have other leaders who are willing to go while I can continue to work or – in this case – meet our new pastor!  I am so glad Pastor Ed, and his wife Leanne are a good fit!  We voted them in, and they might start as early as the middle of December.  How exciting.  Yay, God for bringing just the right person at just the right time.

            Ahhh, a bright future!  May you look forward with delight and look behind with nostalgic grace and joy.  May your memories of God’s constant provision give you vision for His amazing future.  May you go forth boldly and be excited about what God can do in and through you.  Love and hugs,

 

 

Cristy

11/6/23

 Dear Family,

 

            I forgot how fun Harvest parties can be.  Small children are experiencing everything for the first time, and they are so adorable!  Candy is yummy and although they might not understand what is happening people are taking pictures, we are smiling and there is an abundance of joy.  I am glad I participated in our church gathering.  (Thank you Sarah for taking a picture and sending it to me :-).)

            Wednesday, we had a fun youth group where Bobby talked about living out our faith real instead of monster-like.  It was fun to hear creative blank ideas.  The way to combat Werewolf faith (changing your personality to go with the crowd) is Humble c---------.  Bobby’s hint was, “When you admit you are wrong.”  Someone shouted out, “Crying!”  (That one was confession.)  I enjoy figuring out the blanks myself but even better is what the youth come up with.

            One student was intrigued when he saw the sign with his name on it.  Yes, we do discriminate against him alone.  He must stand on the side with glass behind him for gutter ball.  That ball has hit the glass so many times because of his amazingly powerful throws.   (We should have added the Hulk's name to the sign as well.)

            Thursday Bobby cooked yummy French onion pasta.  I truly enjoy coming home to a great meal.  Bobby sure is a keeper.  I also like that he fast-forwards parts of a movie I won’t enjoy.  This is a two-part bonus.  The movie goes quicker #1 and I don’t have to watch conflict #2.  I don’t like anything scary or people being mean or violent.  Unless it’s superheroes – they are cool.

            I truly enjoy working and I am glad Bobby likes that I get out of the house and work.  He’s supportive and I appreciate that.

            Saturday, we enjoyed time to relax and watch the old movie, “War games.”  It was interesting to get Seth’s, “Why would they give the computer that much power?”  Somehow the movie was declared iconic and left at that.  I enjoy watching old movies with Seth’s out-of-the-box perspective (when he chooses to look at the screen).

            Bobby had to complain about our wall clock when he changed it for daylight savings time.  There is a crack in the face, but you can only tell when you get close.  I said, “I like it, and want to keep it.  You can’t tell it’s cracked from here at all.”  Bobby mentioned, “Maybe that’s why you still think I’m attractive.” 

            May you also see the good in what you have.  May you love the one you are with and be kind to all you encounter.  May you find joy in each instance of beauty that surrounds us.  May you feel God’s love as you encounter His creation.  Love and hugs,

 

 

Cristy