Merry Christmas ~ Jesus iz Lord!
J is for Joshua. He is now a handsome young man. Definitely on the threshold of adulthood at 15 years old (and very handsome mom says!). He has really matured a lot this year. It has been neat to see how God has grown him. He has an incredible passion for the lost. I pray that we as parents will not hinder his enthusiasm and that he will “sail like the wind” on the “oceans of love” to those Christ came to save. He is still “hog chasing” through school, wishing he was skate boarding through! He is now in high school and counting down the years till graduation where he can take “that pig to market”! He has flourished in his guitar playing. He often gets “strung” out when he gets some free time. He is “fiddling” around with both welding and instrument repair as possible future endeavors. He still holds his dream to be a surf board designer: JAW’s Boards. He just needs to convince his parents to buy a jet plane and a condo in CA!
E is for everyone else in the family. Really as far as I know all of Laura’s sisters are doing fine. Stephny Laura’s niece had another baby girl named Kiley. We are told she is adorable! Another of her nieces went off to college, the first in that family to “fly the coop”. Her parents still live in the countryside in a small town in Missouri. We went on a family reunion in St. Louis in June to see them. It was nice to see everyone. Sherman’s mom still lives near Memphis, she is doing well. Sherman’s sister had cancer this year and though she has been a real “trooper” through much much suffering, the doctors are not sure she is out of the woods yet. Our family is dear too us. We love and care for all our loved ones so much. We have tears in their sorrow and rejoice in their happiness.
S is for Sherman. He still works down in Huntsville at the DIA. He really loves his job. He also enjoys coming home and doing projects with the boys. He noted recently that the boys can carry more weight for a longer time than he can! That was a sobering thought! He is getting older ya know! He also had about of pneumonia that set him back a few months. Just two weeks ago, he landed a tree on his truck, while he was in it ~ almost totaling the truck! (He is trying to grey Laura!!) Above all he loves to be in The Word. He has had a few preaching opportunities and that he says is a blessing above anything in his life. He enjoys still doing our own cows and chickens for meat. We have even helped a few other families. Strange what we call “entertainment” these days! But coffee and rocking chairs on the front porch still remains one of his “down time” relaxers.
U is for Unity in the bond of Christ. This has always been of most importance in our lives!! We were very blessed this year to have a very close family come and stay with us for almost 2 months. It was sweet. We also went to Springs of Grace for a visit. This was so very special to us. It really took us back in time to a tender moldable time in our lives. Most of the folks who knew us then welcomed us again with open heart and arms (and even ones who just meet us!). It was just what we needed. They do an awesome ministry of the gospel there that is life changing. We will forever have Springs in our hearts. We love you guys! No matter who we visit, where we go or who comes to see us, if it is “family of Christ”, we can pick up anywhere. That is the most beautiful example of unity we know! Where “blood” relations really go deeper, that is the blood of Christ, that unifies His children to one another! What a privilege to have moved often, the more “body parts” you get to experience “unity” with!
S is for Samuel. He only just turned 17 but he really is becoming a man! Not only in his physical body, but his heart too. He is very sweet. He really desires to be obedient to God. You will often find him witnessing where he goes of what God has done in his redemption. He will be graduating by the time you get this card! I just can’t believe it! And by that same time he will have completed 7 college classes too! He has mapped out his college days and He is hoping to go to Patrick Henry in 1 year after getting his associates here. He also had a wonderful St. Jude’s visit. He is really the “poster child” for survivors. He has done so well it offers hope to others who are in his “old shoes”, stricken with cancer! Of course we know that it is ONLY by God’s healing that he is with us today! The only problem “bee” is that he will have to leave his “honey” behind. And we don’t mean girlfriend either. He has done well with his beehiving and we have gotten the results, lots of yummy sticky honey! He also planted a lot of fruit trees this year. So we are expecting him to return in the summers to help us can it all!
I is for incorporating foster kids into our family. This has been a real trial in “pouring ourselves out” for the Lord. For this calling that He has called us to is not easy. In many ways our first attempt was a failure and we were not able to keep the 3 precious children. And though it literally tore our hearts out, we are learning to trust God in all things, even when we do not understand. We took a few months break and will try again soon as we follow the Lords leading. We desire to have more children and this is the journey God has taken us to gather a “table full of children”. We started in Jan. this year with 12 classes 1 ½ hours drive, each way, 3 hours a night once a week. Then all the way through our home study, tons of paper work, finger prints, check lists, only to redo some of it in the new house we journeyed. We finally got certified at the end of Aug!! So I am looking forward to what I write about in this area next year ~ The Lord willing……….
Z is for Zechariah. This little guy, growing fast to keep up with his brothers is still very much the “farmer at heart”! He just loves the animals. He (we) took a hard hit this year in the barn yard. All our cows and sheep died. We had gotten a cow that had a disease and it spread like wild fire until all were gone. It was a hard blow for us all, but especially Zechie. He is a big 11 year old and a good student when he wants to be. He has been enjoying the new freedom of our place and big workshop. He enjoys “American Folk/English Country dancing” when he gets a chance (the only time he appreciates having girls in this world!) But he still wants to “hire out a girl” to help with canning (anyone interested?! Haha!). He just don’t quite got this girl thing down! God is still doing a work in him. He often finds himself in the middle of “understanding” & “obedience”. He does not have the concept of “his days are numbered” so quite often as most little boys do, they waste precious time on themselves. But I do see God changing that, as only God can do! I am looking forward to watching what God does in his life!
L is for Laura. This year has had it’s health struggles for her. She is very aware that though her body is weak, her Spirit is strong! She had a 5 hernia repair surgery in February, and then recently had another hospital stay. She is doing better. She is still rag quilting and has designed a few more this year. She has also gone into a few other products. She is very thankful that she can be at home with her kids from the time they are born until they finish their learnin’! She still is very much in love with her husband after all these years! (We will celebrate our 25th in June of next year) Her passion is still in making cards, that is her very heart. If you want to take a peek at her heart, look at her cards! There is no greater joy than to encourage someone else she says! She has put her hand to finally writing too! Maybe next year she can give you some titles! The whole family has joined in her support! But above all she desires for others to know where her affections are. He love for the things of God has grown more and more. It is her desire to please God in everything in her life.
O is for our On Line Store. We are still in the process of getting this going. We had hoped to give you the sight info. in this card, but it will be a bit longer. Since we live waaaaaay out in the “boon docks” we are having a hard time getting faster internet service! But we hope to soon be able to offer the quilts, cards, baby items, other rag items, books, other wood crafts, inspirational items etc. to you for your encouragement and to encourage others. We will send out a notice when it is in full swing!
R is for re-location! We finally moved! It took about 7 long months of “keeping a clean house!” to finally sell our lovely cottage in the woods! We moved to a very simple, well built house. It is upstairs and down stairs and has a basement. Also a HUGE workshop (Sherman’s new haven!), detached garage nestled in a hollow at the foot of a hill of a fully treed forest. We love it! The house was decorated very very plainly, so Laura set to change it to a homier atmosphere. It was fun to do (still doing!)! The color change was awesome, I mean outside! Our home is surrounded by hills of pastures & forest. The front porch rockers are hard to resist ~ the view is spectacular! We have to say that we are enjoying the space too. We have a room for everyone, including you! So we do hope that you will join us for some front porch sittin’ and Iced Tea a’sippin!
D is for Disciples of Christ. Without Christ there is nothing worth writing about, without Christ there is nothing to live for. So, We can not be silent as disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord. May this be the most Christ centered Christmas ever for you. May you come to know Him in life and may He know you in death!
God Bless each of you!
Love
The Wiggin Family
Sherman, Laura, Samuel & Zechariah
finished took another month due to family, visits, etc... and I added another $80 to the project with some other items thrown in for various projects (like Sam's room).
