8/25/25

 Dear Family

               Last week was pleasant. It feels like there isn’t much to write about, but God brought to mind several things.

               Our friend Adam preached a Sermon a while back that had Bobby featured in it.  The first illustration had me completely grossed out but by the end of the sermon I was crying so – that was neat.  The interesting thing is that although I feel I might have heard these stories – they were presented through Adam’s eyes, so they took on new profound meaning.  And that’s how it is when we read the Bible or hear it through sermon as well.  If you would also like to listen to the sermon it’s at https://branches.tv/messages?sapurl=LythY2FhL2xiL21zLyszMnBocWR6P2JyYW5kaW5nPXRydWUmZW1iZWQ9dHJ1ZSZyZWNlbnRSb3V0ZT1hcHAud2ViLWFwcC5saWJyYXJ5Lmxpc3QmcmVjZW50Um91dGVTbHVnPSUyQmZ0bjNoNGs=

(You will have to search for Adam Pinkston’s name and if you want to skip the music it’s about a half an hour in.)

               The youth group did go on a trip to get ice cream on Wednesday night.  I enjoyed our chats.  Watching people grow up is such an honor.  They start so small.  Then they are taller than I am, and I love that.  Sometimes they are silly and sometimes our talks are serious.  How fun to enjoy a deep conversation with someone you have known for years.

               Adriel and I enjoy talking on the phone.  She plans on moving soon so please pray for her wisdom as to where to move and with whom.  The destination has been iffy, but I think she may have found a friend of her roommate that will fit the bill – someone responsible.  Yay!

               Seth has almost run out of housework because he has been so diligent AND because not watering in the summer means less weeds.  The garden is manageable and that is an amazing blessing.  Last week he cleaned cobwebs off outside lights and did some weeding in the lawn.  I feel so blessed that he works hard and is helpful.

               I have felt motivated to add my latest book to the Shutterfly archives.  It’s an expensive way to get a book printed but because I want my books to be hard cover it’s worth it to me.  I don’t have any visions of grandeur, desire to travel the world selling my books or thoughts I might become famous any more.  The books did not sell themselves. Even so I do want a way to get them printed for gifts and I only have two of the latest book left.  I’m on page three and it’s pretty tedious.  Please pray with me that I stay motivated if God wants me to do this.

               May you also find strength in doing what you think He wants you to do.  May you enjoy His blessings, His love, His comfort and any AC you find.  Love and hugs, Cristy

              

              

8/17/25

 

Dear Family,

 

               Color wars was the highlight this week.  Bobby planned for everyone to have white shirts and this made everyone want to participate more.  That is the first time I have received any color at these events.  Usually, I stay clear and feel respected.  This time I had some hugs and felt loved.  Interesting.  Either way, we have new comers who are curious what kind of church does a color extravaganza and that is fun.

               Seth continues to help with the house, this week he washed the outside windows.  I really appreciate the help.

               Bobby has been home and I have enjoyed his presence immensely.  We did have a date night this week and it’s fun to just be together.  I enjoy that he cooks and love that he makes our house smell good. 

               Adriel made it home safe from her second week of camp and I am glad for that.  She is constantly on the go but sounded healthy and tired.

               I am excited for the future and glad for the past.  May you have memories to warm your heart and plans to give you hope.  Much love, Cristy

8/10/25

 

Dear family,

 

               The latest person I have enjoyed watching learn to drive is four years old.  She was backing out of spaces, possibly running snakes over and enjoying the good life.  It’s funny to see a youngster in a toy car.  There are many similar concepts to learn; what way does the vehicle move when backing up and turning the wheel, not running grandma over, driving while turned backwards.  (Well, maybe not that last one.)  I enjoy my adopted family and was so glad when they decided we don’t really need candles to be on the cake for blowing out.  Candles on cake was a pretty yucky tradition if you have Covid in your thought processes.

               Either way I am so glad for my church family.  You are my friends and I am glad to enjoy your company while Bobby takes yet another trip.  He was home for a couple days.  There was enough time for water balloon volleyball.  There is more skill than you would ever guess for throwing a water balloon out of a beach towel.  It’s a skill that we probably won’t have to use . . . ever. . . so no one practices during the year.  I enjoy watching and the kids have fun every time.  We have a great group of lovely people.  Each one is a blessing to see when we do have youth group. 

               Seth continues to do beautiful landscaping and I appreciate his efforts so much.  Our yard is manageable this year, yeah!!  Since Seth has done so much work I haven’t cried once because the yard was overwhelming.  Seth even swept our sidewalk.  It’s so beautiful!  I then had time to take my wheel barrel and clean up two or three other blocks on Wallace that were trashy.  I bicycle every day and want to live in a clean neighborhood.  During that task I saw a lovely lady from church and had several amazing interactions with neighbors.  I felt so loved, blessed and happy to live exactly where I live.  Seth’s efforts made my Saturday morning amazing.

               Adriel has embarked on a journey of being a camp counselor for a couple of weeks.  Please pray with me for her to have good health, good times and energy for the tasks she has to do.  I don’t know what hours she is there but I am guessing she is tired.  She did have an amazing week last week and has a new appreciation for caregiving and camp in general.

               Bobby came home early from his 100 mile hike for an entirely different reason than past hikes.  No tent malfunctions, fire, or extreme mosquitoes.  This time they simply hiked faster than expected. How fun.  Bobby was home just in time to help Seth spread gravel.  He was so excited about that. 😉.

               May you enjoy God’s gifts, know how loved you are and delight in the sun, rain, stars and beauty that we are surrounded with.

 

Love and hugs, Cristy 

7/27/25

 

Dear Family,

 

               Taking time off to visit family for a Birthday is not only the right thing to do but a fabulous, wholesome, feel good adventure.  I can’t express how fulfilling it is to be with people that love you to the depths of your toes and tippy top of your head.  My parents seem to hang on our every words and it is a large dose of encouragement just because we took time to be there.  I am glad we went.  Dad enjoyed his Birthday and we all enjoyed spending time together.

I must admit, this is a funny blessing.  I enjoy staying at the Holiday Inn in Bothell not only because of points but because answering their question of the week can get more points.  Here is the question.  “What breaks even if you don’t touch it?” I’ll give some answers and the right answer at the end.

               What a blessing to see my sister and her offspring.  I can’t say children since half of them are grown up.  It was wonderful to hear how their plans are clipping along.  We enjoy seeing them and giving good long hugs.  We are so blessed to know them and be a part of their lives. 

               OK the answer to the riddle wasn’t, your heart – (which was my initial guess but they said no).  A next guess was a funny one – wind.  I had to mention it because there was a chuckle.  I also asked family to chime in and Adriel asked if it was, “A car?”  (This, because of her many car troubles.)  No, the answer is a promise.  Well, I think all of them were good answers, but a promise worked for the points and that was fun.

               May you also enjoy family, friends, riddles and just plain wonderful times,

 

Much love,

 

Cristy

              

 

7/21/22

 Dear Family,

 

               Can we call it good that another week passed without anything bad happening?  Adriel is eating solids again.  Yay! Seth continues to help with the garden and I truly, truly appreciate that.  Bobby came home safe from his third week of camp.  There were no problems with Bees this week.  I enjoyed visiting several friends and work continues to be delightful.  The Gladiolas are so happy and in three places in the yard.  I am glad my body still works well enough to maintain the yard. 

               I do have several funny stories.  The service today (Sunday) was wonderful.  Not just because of a baptism service but because the pastor asked us to remember last week and how we were supposed to study the Bible like a ______.  I answered "Chicken" loud enough that the people around me heard and gave me some curious looks.  When pastor said, "Like a chicken" I was so excited I shouted, "Yes!  I was right!"  This brought laughter (It is a midsized around 2-300 people church so usually the congregation doesn't shout like that) but it was funny.  The pastor mentioned, "Just so you don't wonder about our church's theology, what we mean is that instead of studying a verse or two here or there - like chicken nuggets - we should also study the Bible in totality.  This way we see all the themes woven throughout it - so we know what the whole Bible is.  Studying the Bible like a chicken means to study the whole Bible - not just nuggets here or there."  I was excited that I remembered something from last week.  My memory isn't always the best, but I guess when you bring food into the conversation, I will remember it better. 

               Another fun story.  I was able to gift my book “Star’s Big Fight” to a friend’s 7 year old for his Birthday.  He was reading it in his room and excitedly said, “Mom!  This is a real family!  It’s a real story.”  It was at that time my friend figured out I had written the book.  That was fun.  I did feel joy that the story took on new meaning when they figured out,they knew the author. 

               May you also find more meaning in our Bible, knowing God makes it an even better book.  Much love,

 

 

Cristy

7/13/25

 

Dear Family,

 

               It’s amazing how breaks really do inspire us.  Because I had a week off from picking raspberries I was ok with picking them most of this week AND since there is only one row, it’s not really that big of a deal.  Another interesting thing – I’m back to watering again.  I am so excited about Gladiolus.  They are showing signs of being amazingly beautiful.  I can’t wait to see what other colors pop up.

               Friends had me over this week and I enjoyed chatting, sitting and being blessed by their company.  I also am teaching a former coworker from Freddies how to drive.  That is super fun.  I forgot how much I enjoyed her company.

               Adriel suffered from bad health so much that she lost enough weight to go down a couple of pants sizes.  She is on the mend but please pray with us for her health.

               Bobby came back safe and sound.  He wasn’t as tired this time because they went to bed around 10 instead of 11 every night.  Poor High Schoolers!  Either way he had stories to tell, and it was interesting to hear them.  There was an incident with bees.

               Seth continues to help in the garden and I am blessed. 

               May you also bless others, just like Seth does 😊.  May you find strength from God and may it flow with power out to all you encounter.  This is so that Matthew 5:16 might be fulfilled, “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  If you want a purpose statement, there it is 😊.  Love and hugs,

 

 

Cristy

7/6/25

 

Dear Family,

 

               This week the youth group enjoyed visiting the Duval household for a night of root beer floats, smores and hot dogs.  It was a lovely time.  I did have to ask about bottles upside down on sticks.  That looked weird to me.  (Pictured above).  Rich said, “That’s for the tree coats.”  I was intrigued – was this a coat rack?  “Oh you put coats on there?”  No, not human coats, tree or bush coats – I guess to keep the bush warm. What an interesting Idea.  One person did get a chuckle out of the mental imagery of me putting human coats all over a bush.

               Having Bobby home was nice.  I didn’t pick raspberries at all, and he did pick several times.  He used a lot of them for Raspberry Ginger pie which is very yummy.  I am still enjoying the fruits of his labor.  I like that he is nice to me. 

               God taught me a lesson last week and it’s been thought provoking.  Last week the raspberries went four days without being picked.  I usually panic a bit thinking they will fall on the path, become not only a sticky mess BUT create more vines that will attack anyone who wants to pick.  This did not happen.  They were hanging on just fine and presented themselves quite well.  A tiny bit overdone but that is the way Bobby likes them.  I felt God saying, “See, I hold them together for you.  This verse sums it up.  “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  Matthew 6:34 NIV

               That verse was also something that sums up the interaction I saw as I was driving home at 9pm on the 4^th.  I saw a weeping child.  His dad was trying to give him a sparkler.  That ties in with this verse to me.  Sometimes Gods plans are more than we think we can handle.  Yet, God is trying to bless us.  If we let go of our anxiety, put our hands out and take what he gives, it might just be fun.

               Love and hugs,

 

 

Cristy