"It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like CHRISTmas..."

Yes, it's already December. Another year has again flown by. Although we didn't experience any major changes or take any major trips or publish any new books, it still felt as if the year was filled with blessings after blessings and packed with activities after activities. Alan and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary. We all turned a year older (Alan hit 51, Isaiah turned 11, Abby is now 10 and I will be 48!) We took two trips to the States so that we can spend more time with our elderly parents. We both still teach at the same schools and yes, Alan still is the basketball coach for the English departmental teams. We did switch Abby to a new school and she is thriving. Both of the kids have continue to take lessons in piano and can now play MUCH better than Mom. Isaiah's team won third place in the recent T-ball tournament. He is hoping to win a "gold medal" in the 100 yard dash during the school wide athletic meet. He will also be joining the school's English speech contest and Taiwanese song contest. Alan will take his basketball team down to a major competition and hopefully, they will be champions again this year. We love being a part of our church family at House of Praise and the kids are beginning to serve. Abby is now on a regular scheduled rotation to be a greeter and an intercessor. She has also volunteered to play the piano during the offering at our Christmas service. She is in the process of learning a few songs that she can play with confidence. The few that she has mastered are As The Deer, Silent Night and Jesus Loves the Little Children. She has also been learning how to play the drums, so perhaps she will join the worship team next year.

So as we look towards 2010, we ask that you will remember to pray for us. Here are our prayer requests --

1. To walk closer to Him each day. We want to continue to read through the Bible each year and to work on memorizing verses individually and as a family.

2. To nurture our children to love God and others. In school, they are often asked or required to read Buddhist text and it has been challenging for them to speak up.

3. To continue to score well at our schools' evaluations. The schools that we teach at are changing, and teacher are evaluated more. Some of these changes in our opinion are not necessarily positive. We praise God for how He has always been our Provider.

4. To have our kids enjoy school here in Taiwan. Isaiah feels stressed already as the homework load is quite heavy. There is a tremendous emphasis on memorizing everything--verbatim.

5. To spend time with each other to build our marriage for His glory. God has blessed us with consistent time to spend with each other and with other couples. We pray that He will use us to bless other marriages here in Taiwan.

6. To take trips to the States to visit our elderly parents. Please pray for their health and the time that we have to spend with our friends and family members.

7. To share Christ with others. We want to be used by God to bless the lives our friends, our fellow faculty members and staff, our students, the children in our kids' schools, their parents and teachers, our neighbors, those at House of Praise and other churches that we minister at... and the list goes on. May He continually supply us all that we have and are.

That'll keep you busy in prayer for 2010.

Thanks so much for being a part of our lives.

Yes, remember CHRIST in your CHRISTmas this year and in the years to come.

"By this the love of God

was manifested in us,

that God has sent

His only begotten Son into the world

so that we might live through Him."

I John 4:9

Seek Him first!

6:33