Wow, I can hardly believe it is 2006 already. I seems such a short time ago that we were all concerned about Y2K and the drastic changes we would all be facing. How has your life changed? Have you set new goals which you are still striving to reach, have you continued to sit on the side lines while someone else stepped forward to fill that position you could have filled, or have you realized that with God all things are possible? He has continued to encourage us to s t r e t c h our lives well past anything we had expected or prepared to do. Butch and I have taken on requests that have moved us out of our comfort zone several times over and discovered that God has so many blessings to share as long as we are willing. When we began working with college students at West Yellowstone neither of us had any idea this would become so much a part of our heart. God has blessed us with so many opportunities to watch these young people grow and mature in their Christian walk and helped us to grow right along with them. We’ve shared their laughter and their tears and continue a relationship with many of them after they leave. We came to GA for the winter and really didn’t know exactly what to expect and it has been a learning experience for us and also for the association. We are their first missionaries to spend the winter and it has been our first experience of helping with a new church plant. We have helped to build a new church, we’ve been part of a core group in a new SS class, but this is a first for us. It is going very slow but it is God’s timing and not ours.
Nursing Homes at Christmas time are not always a place many of us want to visit. Let’s face it, because of experiences with family members and friends it is often difficult for many of us to make that effort. Butch and I have gone through some tough times with family and it really made it difficult so when the association gave our names to the one here on St. Simons Island for help during Christmas it was a real challenge. God knew how hard this was going to be for Butch but He granted him the peace and strength to not only go and serve but to enjoy doing it.!! One of the local businesses had taken names from an angel tree and purchased and gift wrapped presents for each resident. They had asked for things as simple as a pair of socks, some cologne or perfume, a gown, a warm blanket, and some of the aides or nurses were able to recommend something they could use if they didn’t have a special request. Some were so surprised and thankful to be getting a gift that you couldn’t help but be a bit emotional afterwards. Many had no family in the area and were physically disabled so their roommates wheeled them down to get their gifts. One gentleman tried to give his gift back to us because he had nothing for us. I think God used this experience to heal some of the discomfort we both have felt in nursing homes since Butch last saw his brother Ed at a home in Wisconsin.
Butch preached at Calvary Baptist Church in Brunswick on Christmas Day. The pastor had told him he had no idea what to expect, there might be only a few and there might be a normal attendance. It is a small church and there were about 75 people, which is pretty close to their average attendance. It was great to be in church on that special day to celebrate with our brothers and sisters in Christ. It was an honor for Butch to be able to share God’s message on that special day. It’s kind of hard to be away from our family but we were blessed when the youth minister from Northside Baptist asked us to visit with his family Christmas night. We had a great meal, and then listened as he read Luke 2: 1-21 prior to opening gifts with their family. It was so special as we got to watch the children go from one gift to another and they surprised us with a couple of gifts. It felt a little more like being at home than it normally does when we have to be away at Christmas or other holidays.
As some of you may know, Butch and I really enjoyed the flowers in our yard in AL. It’s kind of hard to carry many flowers around the country with you so we only have a couple of plants in the motorhome. One is a plant that belonged to my mother who died in 1979 so it is very special to me and the other is a little cactus type, neither of which require a lot of attention. After Christmas we saw some Amarylis bulbs for a few dollars and decided to buy one, watch it grow and then plant it in Cassie’s yard when we get back to AL. It started out as they all do with only a tiny bit showing above the dirt and now the stalk has grown to be over 14 inches. It has been fun to watch Butch get up with his tape to measure HIS amaryllis!! I think the bloom will open in the next few days and we will really enjoy it but it has been neat to just see one of God’s small creations grow inch by inch, reaching up and always for the sun. What a lesson that is for us, that we must continue to grow, and always toward the SON.
Some of you may have been to the area we are in for the winter. With the marshlands and the coastal area it is very similar to the area we were in for four summers in SC. We have enjoyed the warmth and the opportunity to reminisce but have not done a lot of sightseeing. We have been to Jekyl Island and of course St. Simons Island several times. Perhaps we will take a day or two to check some things out before heading out the end of February. We look forward to returning to AL and visiting our home church at the new location. That has been a BIG change for Westwood and I know people will be glad to begin to settle down a little although that will take time with many adjustments for all. God has blessed our church and continues to do so.
We send our love and our deep gratitude to all for your love, support, and most of all your prayers for us as we serve in different areas. God is so good and we praise Him for friends and family who care. Continue to pray that He will use us in the building of His kingdom and be glorified in all that we do through Him. We love you and miss you.
In Service to our Savior, Vi and Butch
“We hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.” Romans 3:28
