Nancy’s Kitchen

The Christmas Season brings all the old arguments as to whether there really was a Jesus. U.S. World and News Report this season has a cover story saying Jesus was a good teacher but not a savior. Each Christmas we face these affronts. SO WHAT! Why get excited or angry. It doesn’t change the truth or diminish what God has done. Smile…say Merry Christmas…you’re right!

I am saying these things to help me to remember; it is not what people say but what we know is truth. “I am the way, the TRUTH and the life.” We know the TRUTH. His name is Jesus.

As a Christmas letter from Nancy and me, I felt it necessary to get my own thinking straight first. Approaching 60 in January, things look different than they did at 40 or 50. In the last two years Nancy has traveled 10’s of thousands of miles to tell others of what she knows…the TRUTH.
In May, Nancy left for two weeks of ministry to the Gypsies again. Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey were the countries she visited. She was back to see friends she had made the year before. But this year’s trip was different. She went to pray for and touch the people this year. The excitement of a mission trip was replaced with the heart of Jesus for the Gypsies.

September found us in the air for 18 hours as we flew to Johannesburg, South Africa. For two weeks we worked with a mission that served the poor of the poor. Nancy served AIDS patients as they died. We worked with children who were orphaned by AIDS. I installed water pipe, a kitchen sink and cabinets. We collected and distributed food, preached, sang, set up chess tournaments, served food, washed dishes and were happy to sit at night with a cappuccino, visiting with our hosts.

The Ivy boys are still being boys. Steve got a new job with GoDaddy.com in Scottsdale Arizona. Jodi went back to work part-time with ISEC, a high-end construction materials supplier. It is a great situation, she leaves after Adelina leaves for school and gets home before the bus arrives in the afternoon.

NOW… a good story. I got to play with Adelina twice this year! As you may know she is deaf. Last January she received a cochlear implant. Now she is speaking!!! We had a ball. Steve told her to stop speaking with her mouth full while we were there. She was obedient but immediately continued in sign language…very smart girl!

My other love is Julia, is Sean’s oldest. This jewel has stolen my heart. We have had a few dates, McDonalds and Chucky Cheese. We talk on the phone and sit close during Veggie Tale movies. The only difficulty with this relationship is Andrew and Jesse. Like good little brothers they watch over their sister to be sure Grandpa doesn’t overdo his time with her. These boys are BOYS! Growling noises, guns, Spiderman, the works. They are GREAT! (No prejudice here!)

Oh…Sean and Amy live with my grandchildren and they are doing fine. ☺ Amy is Educational Director at the Sylvan Learning Center, and Sean is assistant-assistant manager at a Games store in addition to his normal fare of 3-D animation, creation, and architectural rendering free-lance projects! They’re doing a great job of juggling schedules so the kids can stay home and not go to day care!

Bob and Suzy are in Fairfax, Virginia. They were in Zambia this summer preparing a video CD for a ministry there. Bob had the good fortune to fly in an ultra-light over Victoria Falls. Bob celebrated his 30th birthday this summer and invited me to the party…at 13,000 feet! He led a contingent of three on a tandem parachute jump. I WANT TO DO IT AGAIN!!! It was great…thanks Bob. (Oh…Nancy was in Romania so she couldn’t say no.)

These few things let you know we are alive but the events that took place this year cannot be covered in this short letter. Our lives have been full with family, missions, church, work, and volunteer activities. Nancy made dresses for the orphans we visited, has been involved in the church worship team and trying to keep Richard out of trouble. Richard has been writing for a small newspaper in Massachusetts called “The Parents Pages”.

In summary we have tried to live closer to what is in our hearts, walk out what we profess to believe, fight the daily problems, grow closer together and seek God to understand what we cannot on our own know. This year we are going to Bob and Suzy’s for Christmas. We have no tree and no window decorations or lights. Nancy did put out the Crèche, the one we have had for 35 years thanks to my mom, the “Reason for the Season”. May you be blessed this Christmas, may you enjoy your families and may you clearly understand the Truth of Christmas.

The pdf version with photos is here:  The Ivy’s Christmas Letter 2007.