“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” —Psalm 107:1
“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is
good; His love endures forever.” —Psalm 107:1
“Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:2-3). Since we haven't kept up with many of you as well as we would have liked, we are writing this letter to update you on our family since last Thanksgiving. We would love to hear from you about how we can “rejoice with those who rejoice [and] mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15).
The September 11 attack took us by surprise and reminded us that there is no satisfactory security apart from God. Praise be to Jesus, the ultimate Fireman who died to rescue us from the fires of hell and lives to give us peace and hope for the future! Read A Time for Peacemaking or a Time for War? by Peacemaker Ministries for a good response to the terrorist attacks.
“The fear of man lays a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord
is safe.” —Proverbs 29:25
“The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace,
because he trusts in You.” —Isaiah 26:3
Wishing you His peace this holiday season,
We celebrated our tenth anniversary on May 18 in California.
Beckman Coulter flew us
and baby Mariah to Newport Beach the day before for a special awards
dinner for my work on the Biomek®
FX liquid handler. The next morning we drove to Hemet to visit
Grandma Mary Alice Burger just two days after her 90th
birthday!
This was our most difficult year as we struggled to make time to spend with each other. The demands of daily life with three young children and a new baby regularly exhausted us, but the Lord faithfully carried us through.
Our house and most of our appliances turned ten, too. We had a roof leak fixed. I repaired the microwave and dishwasher. For Stacy's birthday, I installed an over-the-range microwave, a great space saver. I replaced the refrigerator when the compressor started making loud noises. We had our front windows replaced because the wood frames kept rotting despite my attempts over the past three years to replace the rot with epoxy.
I enjoyed my fourth year designing software at SAGIAN with a great team and excellent management. We are developing software that automatically schedules and coordinates the activities of various instruments and robots in a laboratory according to the scientists' specifications.
At the company picnic, I won our first television! Our challenge has been limiting the girls' video consumption. Keeping the television in our unfinished basement helps.
I served my first year as an elder at church. For Maundy Thursday I organized a special tenebrae service that focused on Christ's suffering and death in preparation for Easter. Practicing hospitality with meals at our house has helped us get to know people better. This fall I have been studying Romans with another man and leading an adult Sunday School class using the outstanding video series “Renewing the Family Spirit.”
Homeschooling Elizabeth has been challenging, exciting, and rewarding. I enjoy having Elizabeth at home and use her help. She finished Kindergarten and learned to read using Alpha Phonics. We enjoy nature studies, field trips, and going to the library. This fall we caught a large caterpillar and put it into a bag with twigs and leaves. The very next day it formed a chrysalis. The girls made American flags for a reception for a local search & rescue team that went to New York.
This summer we enjoyed nearby Eagle Creek Park. I went sailboarding again and even got Bob to try it. The girls went canoeing for the first time.
Spending time with adults helps keep my sanity. As often as possible, I invite people over, especially as Mariah takes less of my energy. Thursday nights I study the Bible with another lady from church. Last spring we went to Cincinnati to visit three dear families we knew from Bloomington. We took several friends to the Indianapolis Zoo.
I turned six on May 17 and started getting a weekly allowance. Sometimes when we go shopping, I get to decide what things I can buy and to count out my money to pay the clerk. I am an artist who industriously and joyfully makes things for other people.
This year I started first grade at home and learned to read! Mom & Dad can no longer keep secrets from me by spelling words to each other. Hearing and understanding Bible stories is an adventure for me. I also enjoy listening to Focus on the Family Radio Theatre's The Chronicles of Narnia.
I quickly learned how to play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” on my toy bells. Seeing my interest in music, Dad bought an electronic keyboard that I love to play. After watching The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins, I asked Dad to teach me how to play some of those melodies.
I will turn five on December 26. I eagerly help Mom prepare food. I take care of Mariah and hope that she will have curly hair like mine! Grandpa Ron & Grandma Dianne take me and my sisters out to have fun on most Saturdays. We all love the Children's Museum.
I enjoy the outdoors, whether it's sunny, rainy, windy, or snowy. At the park I love to spin on the merry-go-round and swing with my sisters—yippee! I like digging for worms and planting seeds with Mom. I'm learning about ballet and dance around the house in dress-up clothes.
Since Mom gave us bug jars, my sisters and I have had many adventures filling them with a variety of tiny creatures. Now we don't fear insects any more. I caught a Japanese beetle and fed it Mom's rose petals for a few days.
I turned three on September 8, and I am tall. I like to crawl into bed with my sisters, but I have been learning to stay in my own bed. Dad calls me Amazing Grace because when I want to do something, I figure it out. For example, I can get the vacuum cleaner out of the closet, vacuum the kitchen floor, and put it away by myself.
I love to cut, draw, and use lots of tape. During a tornado warning, I thought about our house getting blown down and said, “Daddy could fix it with tape.” I have an eye for detail and like everything to be in order. When something breaks, I am quick to comfort: “It's okay; Dad can fix it.”
I turned one on October 9 and learned to walk about two weeks later. My sisters leave out so many interesting things for me to get into! I eat with gusto and participate in dinner time discussions with ongoing verbalizations. I “read” books by flipping through the pages and babbling while pointing at the pictures.
We celebrated the births of two new cousins this year and look forward to visiting them this Christmas!
At Summer Bible School in June, Elizabeth, Ruth, and Sarah earned awards for memorizing verses and catechism answers. Bob taught catechism to grades three & four and seven & eight, and Stacy helped with Sarah's preschool class. The girls were sad when the exciting week ended.
When fall came, Elizabeth & Ruth were delighted to go to AWANA at church every Wednesday night. The stories, games, and the challenge of memorizing verses for prizes captivate them. During AWANA, Bob participates in the church prayer meeting.
In our family Bible time, we looked at pictures and foreshadowings of Christ in Genesis and Exodus. Especially during this troubling time of war, we want our girls to build their foundations on the strong, unchanging rock of God's Word.