Christmas Letter 2014

Dear family and friends.

It is now 2015, for more than a few days now.  But in my defense J , I have been writing this Christmas letter/blog entry in my head since Boxing Day.  You see, Bruce and Eric Vrieling (elder and deacon from our home church) arrived on Boxing Day with a big envelope of Christmas letters, cards, and pictures from our home church – thank-you for your love and support – and I was inspired to write something up and do some reflecting of my own.  The problem is taking the time to sit down and write it out!  So here we are.  It is good to reflect, for when we do, we can be reminded of the faithfulness of our Father in heaven and all the blessings He has showered upon us. 

2014… I remember when 2014 began, Matt and I joked at how this would be the year that nothing happened.  You see, since we first met (2009), a major event has taken place place each year.  In 2010 we got engaged and 2011 we got married.  Then in 2012 we moved to Mexico and Naomi was born, and Steven was born in 2013.  But while we did not have a big family event in this past year, it was a significant year in another way - our fellow missionaries, Richard & Angela Bout and their family returned to Canada in May of this year.  This was a big change for us and for the church.  We had many questions… How would the church handle this big change? Would people continue attending?  Would Matt be able to handle the workload? What would it like to be “alone” on the field?  We were thankful, so thankful, for the almost 2 ½ years the Lord gave us with them, working alongside them, watching, learning, conversing, becoming adopted into their family.  It was hard to watch them leave, to see the pain of parting for them, for the church. But life carries on, and with great thanks to the Lord, each and every day the Lord has given grace to take that next step, to carry on in His work here…to counsel that couple even when we are not feeling so experienced or wise, to organize the next retreat, to host the Christmas dinner and New Year’s party, to help lead the ladies bible study, to write sermons and teach, to giving bible studies.  The Lord provides.  This should not have been a surprise for us.  It is what the Lord has done for us so many times in the many changes that we have experienced in these last years.  Giving us all we needed to take that next step, and do the work that He set before us that day.  While not all has gone perfectly, and we have much growing to do – we will be the first ones to admit that – we can give thanks for the opportunities to serve and grow and learn.  The church has been patient, and thankfully has done some growing of its own.  Many of the cracks and holes and gaps left by the Bout family have been filled, not just by us, but by members of the church.  Praise the Lord for that!! We are so thankful to have Pastor and Mrs. Bout here as well for a few months.  Their experience and godly wisdom is invaluable.  

We love having our own place.  It’s great to be able to host groups.  And, what a blessing for our little family.  We have a little grass out front, but also have access to the empty lot next door.  Naomi loves the tire swing, and Steven is getting the hang of it as well.  And then there are the family baseball games that have already begun to happen.  Steven hit his first homerun just the other day.  It’s a fair bit of space to maintain, but it’s helpful to get us outside and get our hands dirty every so often.  As I write, Matt and Naomi are cleaning up the banana tree in the side lot.  

Naomi is 2 ½, and the world of colouring, counting, talking, and doing twirls has opened wide.  How exciting to be able to talk to her about the Lord, and we are amazed at what she is able to understand during our family devotion times.  Steven (1) is more into eating Cheerios and whatever food he can get his hands on, smiling and waving, walking behind his little walker, and admiring his big sister.  He is easy going, and happily gets passed from arm to arm each Sunday.

I’ve picked out some of my favourite pictures from the past year.  My original idea was to choose one from each month, but that was just too hard. 

Greetings to each of you.  May you grow in faith and love in this new year ahead.   

Pastor Matt & Anne-Marie Van Dyken

Naomi: "Those were the days, when Steven would just lay on my lap..." Sigh.

Oops!

Off to church with Grandma Dora.

Yes, we have a yard now.  Yard = yard work.  A good thing.

Naomi's good friends from church.

This was the day that we retired the bouncy chair.

Irving carrying the snake out of our house (it was hiding out in the box) and Matt following close behind with the machete.  (The snake was not too big and non-poisonous.)

One high-light of the year, our church's first Talent Night.

Whenever Naomi sees this picture, she laughs and says, "Mommy, two babies!"

Another good friend of Naomi's.

Infestation of stinging caterpillars.  We counted 18 in this picture.  Matt thinks he has killed 80 of these since we moved in here.  One was our pet for a little while.

Another high-light of the year - the church retreat in November.

Fun times at the retreat.

Matt looks forward to chilly winter mornings so that he can start a fire in the fireplace.

Grandma Dora came to visit in December for a week.  Naomi was thrilled! (We were too).

Church Christmas program.