Our 2020 Christmas Letter

Dear family and friends,

As we near the end of 2020, we hope you and your family are well and anticipating your celebration of Christmas.  We are writing this letter near a window which opens into the darkness of the predawn of a new day.  The darkness is punctuated with the light from our neighbors’ windows and colorful Christmas lights.  This predawn view reminds us of the year 2020, a year of darkness and uncertainty.  Still there are encouraging points of light, pleasant reminders of things good, right, and true.  We are thankful as we reflect on 2020.

Prior to the onset of the pandemic, we were able to visit our son Brad and his wife Raquel in Michigan.  They are always thoughtful hosts and we enjoyed our two visits this year, once in early February and then in August.  In February, we all enjoyed a trip to the University of Michigan Museum of Art.  In August, Brad and I worked on a construction project to upgrade their patio area.

In late February, we were invited to travel to Iowa with Abby’s sister Mary and brother-in-law, Bob Johnson, to attend the graduation of their son, Trent who had completed his graduate studies at Palmer School of Chiropractic Medicine.  The new “Dr. Johnson” has since moved to Tennessee and joined several other chiropractic doctors in a practice in Nashville.

In May, we were blessed to join our daughter Mindy, her husband Steve, and our granddaughter, Della Rose to see our granddaughter Kiara graduate from Mogadore High School during a modified commencement service suitable to meet CDC safety standards for COVID.  Unfortunately, Kiara’s brother, our grandson Caleb and his wife who live in Pennsylvania were unable to attend, but they were able to join us for Kiara’s reception in June.  In August, Kiara enrolled in classes at Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and has achieved a good academic standing going into the Spring semester.  Kiara's sister Della Rose found a welcome reprieve by horseback riding with her friend, Lily, at Skyview Ranch.

This summer, we watched God answer prayer by opening the door for our daughter Mindy to be employed as a nurse practitioner at LifeCare Hospice here in Wooster.  Mindy is already using her professional and compassionate skills to encourage the lives of her patients needing palliative care.  

In August, Abby and I were honored to comfort our friends Roger and Margaret Riffle as they entered the final stretch of their brave ordeal with Roger’s Alzheimer’s Disease.  Roger and I were fellow students at Malone College, and later we served as each other’s best man in our respective weddings one year apart. Our final visit near the time of Roger’s departure for Heaven was a tender time of encouragement and of reliance on our faith that Jesus, our Shepherd, was very near.  On the next day, August 12, the gentle Shepherd led Roger graciously away from his beloved Margaret, and through the valley of the shadow of death into Eternal Life.

We are sure the pandemic has disrupted your lives, family relationships, and plans for 2020 like it did ours.  The threat of the virus required that all of us adapt and be creative in order to avoid infection while planning creative ways to stay connected with family and friends.  When we were unable to eat inside a restaurant, we found creative ways to eat together outside.  When our small group at church could not meet inside and maintain social distance, a large driveway of one of our members provided a great environment for encouragement and learning.

Many of you have also had to say “Good-bye” to family members and friends this year.   In April, Abby’s aunt, Edna Lee Sperry died.  Then, Edna’s youngest sister Norma Brumbaugh passed on to Glory on October 23.  Norma’s memorial service was held in the country church where her and her husband, Lynn, had worshiped and served.  Both aunts were a great blessing to Abby and I for many decades, and they were preceded in death by brother, John Bright, in 2018..

This year has been a tremendous challenge to so many that we all know--people on the front lines in health care, education, first response to emergencies, etc. Our prayers have been with our friends in Cedarville including university faculty and staff during this challenging academic year. We also thank God for staff of senior health care centers as they care for our loved ones who are isolated from family and often confused.  

We could easily conclude our year-end, Christmas letter with a tone of death and despair as we reflect on the year 2020.  However, the predawn darkness outside our window has been chased away by the brightness of the sun on new fallen snow blanketing the landscape.  The dawn of a new day reminds us of the prophecy of the coming of Jesus, the Light of the World, when God revealed the promise of Isaiah 9: 1-2 that the people of the Earth “will see a great light.”  

Seven hundred years later, Jesus was born as a baby in a stable.  The Word became flesh and lived a godly live among people, was crucified for claiming He was God, and then He was raised to new life so that all who put their faith in Him and follow Him will have Eternal Life.  “The hopes and fears of all the years, including 2020, are MET” (satisfied, canceled, overcome) in Jesus.  We are glad He came and found us, and has given our lives meaning and hope.

We thank many of you who have already communicated with us in various ways, and we look forward to hearing from others.  Our e-mail address is silviusj@gmail.com

Merry Christmas, and a Blessed New Year,

P.S.  Since posting the above 2020 Letter on Christmas Eve, we were able to enjoy part of Christmas Day in the home of our daughter Mindy with her husband Steve and our granddaughters, Kiara and Della.  The next day, we were blessed to enjoy an overnight in the Pittsburgh area in order to exchange gifts with our grandson Caleb and his wife, Soni. Afterwards, these two "grand-kids" drove grandpa and grandma on an excellent tour of the city, beautifully lighted for the Christmas season. We are thankful that we were able to be with all of our immediate family in spite of the restrictions of the pandemic.