Christmas, perhaps more than any other time
of the year, reminds us that Jesus came to bring us hope for this life and for
our eternal future. But we’ve been reminded of our ‘hope’ on a few occasions
this year. In June we attended the dedication service for our youngest grand
daughter, Bethan Hope in Maidenhead. One of our few trips there this year
to see Andi & Vicki and Anna. The last one being in early November when Grandma
Joy & Pop John baby sat for a weekend while mum and dad went to Paris.
Andi, amongst his variousbusiness
activities and travels,has found time to compile a short
book of testimonies from people in various
walks of life as to their reason for hope in Christ these days. The book should
be out in the new year – at a time when a number of churches in the country
will be promoting the subject of hope. Vicki will be returning to work after
maternity leave just before Christmas.
Our year started with one less family
member as Garfield
the cat died on Boxing Day after being with us and giving a lot of pleasure for
16 years. Stephen will be leaving us in
the new year to take up a post of staff nurse for Oxfordshire & Bucks Partnership
NHS Trust.
Having been with us for about a year, Ruth
moved into her new home in Bradford in September.
She also started her new job with a special education unit in Bradford.
Rachel successfully
completed her PGCE in London
in June and moved back home. She is doing supply teaching in primary schools
around Leeds. In June John & Joy went to France
for a couple of week’s bird watching in
the Camargue. John finally completed his M.A. in Pastoral Studies and Conflict
Management – after five years! Over
the August bank holiday we joined Joy’s sister
Janet and her husband and their family in Oxford
to celebrate among other things, their 40th
wedding anniversary. This gave us another opportunity to visit Maidenhead also.
A brief bout of ill–health for Joy has meant
that a planned trip to Kenya
had to be postponed; hopefully to be taken in 2008. Joy’s childminding business
has continued to thrive throughout the year and despite re-organisations in
both the NHS and Leeds City Council John has retained his joint funded post.Our
family will be getting together here for Christmas and John’s dad (now 84) will
be joining us on Christmas Day. We trust that you will have a happy Christmas and
a new year filled with promise and hope.
Wishing You a Joyous
Christmas & a Happy New Year
|
|
All our love