With Christmas almost upon us, our minds turn to the family that God has given us, who have supported us throughout life since we first committed ourselves to God so long ago.
We have
found friends around the world and the UK, who have received us freely into
their hearts and homes, and in Reading where we live, who have loved us from
day to day and enriched our lives, providing help in very differing ways: from
rebuilding our house, to just being a friend, or taking us to the hospital.
Who would
have realised the extent of the revolution in our lives when we committed
ourself to the Lord Jesus so long ago?
This is the
context of our letter this year and every year.
We value our
earthly family – of course we do - and seek to be a friend to each one,
particularly to our own children and their friends. But the Lord Jesus, by his
death and resurrection, has brought us into an international family, spanning
the ages of history, and yet so practical in daily living. Are you a part of
that yet? You can be.
As we look
back over the year, we see it divided by Mike’s 3rd stroke in June.
Admitted to the Royal Berkshire Hospital four days later, he stayed a couple of
nights before being sent home. Recovery takes months, and Mike initially spent a lot of time sleeping, but most of his faculties
are returning. The stroke did not appear to affect driving so we are still
mobile. We are grateful to God; it could have been much worse.
In February
we drove to Evesham for Uncle Tom’s thanksgiving, and in April to Leominster
for Nigel Dale’s. Other friends died during the year: Faith Coles, Peggie Ray
among others.
Phil Bartlett (Helen, Janet’s sister’s husband) sadly died on
April 18th, and we attended his send-off near Shipston in May.
Rob, his son-in-law polished and decorated the giant tractor and trailer, and grandson
Will drove it draped with articles commemorating his life: a post-box (he was a
postman) and many flowers, and they played the theme from Star Wars at the end
of his funeral in the Anglican church at Brailes.
Each funeral we go to now involves one or two overnight stops, so it’s only close friends and relatives where we can attend.
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Ben |
Nick,
Janet’s younger brother, came for lunch and to introduce his beloved Bola, and in
September Tim transported us into Kensington for their marriage at the
Rembrandt Hotel, a happy and memorable occasion to meet her family and to catch
up with our own.
In May,
we visited Paul (Mike’s brother) and Carol in Aylsham, our twice-annual
pilgrimage to connect with the entirety of Mike’s UK family, and we made
another very happy visit again in October.
Later in May
we drove to Pulborough to be present at young friends Sam and Chrissie
Pemberton’s wedding and then on to Bexhill to see old friends Terry & Fran
Watson and Alec & Angela Workman with whom we visited along the south
coast, the Birling Gap, etc.
In June,
Tim got his Tesla 3 (a red one) and we also decided not to renew with the
National Trust. There are so many estates apart from theirs, and their
restaurants need to improve.
In July,
once the dust from my stroke had settled, Janet’s knee and hip required treatment
at the local physio, and we both kept the Royal Berks Hospital on their toes
for the next few months with one thing and another.
In August,
Tim went canoeing in Norway, and we were visited by Janet’s cousins from America:
Sara from Myrtle Beach and Susan from New Mexico. We were happy to host a small
reception for them at our home for the other members of our family who came to
meet them.
As the year moved on, we continued to capture pleasant days picnicking by the River Thames at Henley, exploring Garden Centres around, and we also did some gardening, assembled hanging baskets and grew tomatoes in the greenhouse. As the weather began to close in, we each bought thick coats.
I am now 79 and Janet 73, and we are beginning to feel our age. “Old age is not for the faint-hearted” the cry goes up. We still enjoy extending hospitality to friends and visitors although not on the scale we used to.
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Tim, Janet & Mike |
Our church
involvement at Earley Christian Fellowship continues; church has changed with
new people attending with many children, and babies being born. Sunday School,
boys’ and girls’ clubs plus young people’s meetings are thriving. God is
working in lives. We continue to look to Him to lead the way in times of
increasing darkness in the world. May this Christmas bring you the joy of
knowing and obeying the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our loving
greetings to you,
Mike and Janet
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