2023 In Review

Merry Christmas!

As we compose this letter thinking of family and friends and listening to Larnelle Harris Christmas and other vintage CDs, sentimental thoughts flood in. We remember the reason why years ago we began these yearly writing productions. As newlyweds (a few years ago!) a family in our church wrote yearly Christmas letters. Those letters were inspiring.

Schoolteacher Martha’s Christmas letters were amazing grammatical and technical feats. She manually created them using a typewriter, before the beginnings of personal computers or laptops and printers and the internet or email. She literally cut and pasted together paragraphs and pictures like a puzzle onto a physical master, then her husband’s family business (a professional printing company, like today’s graphic arts businesses) made copies. As a married couple, they were able to co-produce family letters like few others could in the late 1970s. Our letter is simpler and much less painstaking to create, but like Martha, we share our hearts. 

This was the year we spent acclimating back to a more normal post-COVID lifestyle, still watching our favorite shows Survivor and Amazing Race and too many Hallmark movies but feeling more settled. COVID brought us down in February, but we swiftly bounced back. The entire world is bouncing back. It has been the year of singer/songwriter Taylor Swift. Thousands of Swifties flock to her concerts and now she is Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. It is nice to have the energy of America and the world back again!! For us, regular rides on the train to Philly and much-needed daytrips to the beach with outlet mall shopping are tailor-made therapies. 

Diane decided to brave joining Planet Fitness in March. Equipment germs and COVID kept her away from any workout place for 3 years. With muscle-building workouts four times a week and powerwalks at least twice a week she’s no Wonder Woman, but she keeps moving. Jeff still enjoys his early morning runs; he is Diane’s PF buddy, working weight machines together once a week on his day off. 

Jeff is playing “musical chairs (or offices)” at American Bible Society. His different job titles have included Manager, Sr. Manager, Director and now Senior Director. He loves new challenges and doesn’t mind traveling to Philly for work twice a week (riding the SEPTA train once a week and ride-sharing the other day). Being back in the office provides interesting “water fountain” conversations and beneficial unscheduled meetings. The remaining 3 weekdays he works from home. On his day off guess where we many times end up? (Phabulous Philly). 

Diane’s visit to Chicago was her 8th March trip in 9 years for youngest Grand’s 8th birthday (she and Nana missed attending 2021’s birthday party because of COVID; that year a life-sized cardboard Wonder Woman ordered from Amazon took our place). FaceTime calls just aren’t the same as personal visits. So, “Go” this year. We did. Calico Critter items galore were the fun theme of her birthday. 

We loved having our two kids visit us with their families in June. Two of our neighbors graciously helped bonus-daughter with a school assignment about diversity. (In August, we cheered her on via online video as she graduated with a master’s degree). Another evening the family attended a winning Phillies baseball game (before strong smoke from Canadian forest fires arrived). The biggest event was riding the Amtrak train with Nathan and Rachel to DC. We met Shayna’s family who braved busy roads and DC traffic. We toured the Capitol Building, explored the Natural History Museum with its huge dinosaurs, and of course swiftly walked to the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial. By 4:00 p.m. the kids were pooped! 

Diane’s 50th high school reunion in September included 3 days filled with social activities. The planning committee went above and beyond. Over 100 of Diane’s 450 graduating class attended. She felt apprehensive beforehand but was resolute in connecting with classmates like Mary, Kathy, Nancy, and Laura from way-back. It was surreal. Faces change somewhat, but the essence of her high school community remains intact. She left feeling closure and even like a therapy session had occurred, in some ways. Staying at Shayna’s before and after was an added bonus. 

For Thanksgiving we all met at Shayna’s place. Swift flights and overall festive travel on Thanksgiving Day made what could potentially have been a nightmare holiday turn into a full and meaningful day. Our family combines Thanksgiving and Christmas every odd year, so Diane calls the combo-celebration Thanks-mas. We ate delicious food and shared gifts. Frigid temps with snow and pink eye didn’t stop us from taking walks, visits with a sister, and enjoying our brief time together. 

Sikh funeral attire=white

When Jeff taught at Evangel University, yearly missions trips were taken each spring break. Jeff misses those trips to Bolivia and Argentina, etc., but now the world seems to be coming to him. Taking another Amtrak train ride, in November we met with Ukrainian religious leaders in DC as the devastating war in that country continues. In our weekly church small group Zoom meetings we regularly meet with an energetic, young Nigerian pastor living in Abuja. Also, our diverse neighborhood provides interesting experiences. Sadly, our dear 72-year-old neighbor Mr. Singh died in August. His funeral helped us learn some of the Sikh culture’s traditions, foods, and attire for their ceremonies. About a month later we attended another neighbor’s Hindu funeral at the same funeral home after the husband’s untimely death. We were there for the emergency situation, and our hearts are still sad to not see him faithfully walk friendly shih tzu "Buddy" past our house each day.

Diane enjoys visits to Longwood Gardens and learning from our neighbor about major Jewish celebrations and traditions, especially Jewish Shabbat. Currently Diane is learning Hanukkah’s background and its tradition of lighting the Menorah. 

The year 2023 is coming to a swift close. We recall the blessings of Nathan and Rachel’s move to their “forever home”, our tailor-made family times, helpful neighbors, online church with small group, good health, writing, and an interesting workplace for Jeff. 

Sadly, wars in both Ukraine and Israel continue… we pray for peace. We are thankful for God’s perfectly timed and directed gift of Jesus over 2,000 years ago. Like (but also not like) Martha’s decades-ago master sheet (the one and only original), He is our Master, Savior, and Prince of Peace. In God’s timing all things will work for good. He perhaps won’t do it in our wished-for swift timing or maybe even not in the way we want, but in His time, it will work for good.

2024 provides time for new plans and adventures. We love hearing news of friends becoming grandparents and seeing transition and travel pictures from the younger generation. Our life here is small, and states away from our roots and the ones we hold dear… but for amazing technology and Facebook. Elections are coming (yikes!) We vote for a Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!!  Love, Jeff & Diane

(Numbers 6:24,25,26, The OT Bible)