My Christmas letter!

My Family (minus their rents!)

I NEVER send Christmas cards or update letters, etc.  Just not my "thing".  However, now that I have a blog, I thought I'd write a "Christmas update blog". There continued to be changes and difficult times this past year, but in the midst I have seen God's hand and protection & provision for me and others in my life.  So, here we go .......

1.  Most people here only know me as the girl who keeps having surgery!  Let me assure you, I do NOT like nor want to have anymore! : )  I would not change my athletic career, but I am definitely paying for it now.  I had a major fusion in my lower back just as the new year began.  It was pretty awful.  Thankful for good friends and co-workers who helped, made food and came to encourage me (even though I almost threw up on one!)  

2.  One of my dearest friends moved.  I hate change and this kind of change I probably hate the most. But I am thankful for God's provision for her as it was a major change for her in many ways,  and .... its not too far away!  

3.  I developed and taught a brand new course this semester.  Always tough when you don't know what it will look like and there were certainly challenges that will result in some changes for next year,  BUT, it was one of my favorite classes ever to teach!  (social media in sport)

4.  We moved my dad from PA to MI over a period of months starting this summer.  It's time for my brother, his family and I to take care of him.  So he is now living with Scott and his family.  He is adjusting.  Wow, its hard when roles change but God has been gracious to us.  Oh....and, DOWNSIZE PEOPLE, DOWNSIZE!

5.  I lost my second German Shepherd : (  She was my first dog.  I rescued her in VA when she was 7 weeks old.  Sweet pup, but stubborn!  haha.

6.  A Friend of mine was moving and could not keep their 2 year old dog...... yep ...... I adopted him. Did I mention he's a SMALL dog?  Oh my ...... never thought I would have a small dog, but he has won my heart and keeps me warm!  Pretty sure I have gone from "favorite neighbor" whose shepherds NEVER barked, to "most annoying neighbor" whose new dog doesn't stop barking!

7.  Still teaching at Cedarville.  Love my students and our major!  Taking 10 of us to the Dominican Republic over spring break in March.  We will be working with a community holding mini sports camps for kids, working on a construction project and hopefully meeting up with some professional baseball players for a day.

8.  Big news:  started my doctorate.  It may kill me.  Just finished my first class and will be taking two more this next semester.  It will be a Dr. of Education in Sport Management from the United States Sports Academy.  I will be finished in ..... well ..... umm ..... let's just say, a few years!

9.  Did I mention a surgery?  No, not THAT one.  Needed to fix a hip issue that was getting in the way of my recovery from the other one.  So just had a scope done a few weeks ago and feeling a lot better.  After 4-6 months of rehab, I should be good to go!  

10.  and number 10 ....... my first nephew is a senior and will be graduating in June!  WHAAATTTT!!!  in honor of him, let me share a picture of days gone by.

and lastly ...... but most importantly .... I am thankful for all that God has done IN me over the year.  I am still lazy and don't read my Bible enough, praying is not always my first instinct, I still complain about things I can't change and I still struggle over things that have happened in my life and in those I care about.  But, God is patient.  He is gracious and faithful.  He continues to heal my heart and soul.  

As we get ready to celebrate our second Christmas holiday without my mom, I am not only reminded of how much I miss her, but continue to be thankful for all I have learned from her and for her Godly example of trust and faith in God.  I also can't begin to fathom the celebration she is experiencing in Heaven!

Merry Christmas

Taboo Subjects

Not only in light of recent events, but also because of some things I have been thinking about for awhile, I have some thoughts on taboo subjects.  The definition of taboo, according to Merriam, is "not acceptable to talk about or do".  When we are little kids, our parents teach us that picking our nose in public, burping or worse, talking in class, etc. are "taboo" things to do.  We each probably have our list of things we didn't talk about. Either because that is just the way it was or how that generation of parenting was done.  But that isn't really where I am going with this.  My issue is with the Church and our Christian organizations today.

My desire is not to get into a theological discussion of what Church is for or what it is not for, or who's job it is to confront and talk about these taboo topics.  I grew up in the church and around a Christian organization and think I have a pretty good handle on what they are for and their role.

Whether it is because of this generation's ability to talk about difficult subjects or because our society is in such turmoil that we all feel the need to talk, it is clear that (in my opinion) we need to step up. What are those taboo subjects?  Depression, suicide, physical, mental and sexual abuse, homosexuality (other then to say its wrong), death and its affects on those left, racism, alcohol (again, other then to take a specific stand in certain settings) to name a few.

These are real issues that do not need the platitude responses that they usually garner.  Nor do they need the fighting over that we often find in our churches about what the Bible says or doesn't say about them.  Nor do they deserve silence.  This is not an attack on all churches and Christian organizations.  A lot of them are having difficult conversations and getting involved in people's lives who are experiencing these things.  My issue is simply about the silence, ignoring or denying they exist.  Don't forget, this is just my personal opinion and thoughts! : )

We either don't talk about them because we have never experienced them and don't know how to, or they are just uncomfortable. Or worse, we don't want to get our hands dirty to walk through life with someone who has experienced one of these.  Life is messy, so is sin and its results and consequences.  Jesus walked though life with messy people.  I trust, admire and want to be like those people (even in my own life) who have chosen to do messy.

If we don't talk about them, engage in them, address them and do something about them, we are only going to, as they say, repeat history.

If not IN THE CHURCH, then where can we talk about these things and do something about them? Its not comfortable.  Its sometimes scarey.  I'm scared at times.  But its time to stop denying or ignoring bad things happen or are happening.  Its time to talk and engage people who are hurting and experiencing these real life situations.  Its also time to stop being silent.  It doesn't really matter where we all fall theologically - we certainly aren't silent on THAT.  It matters that people are hurting INSIDE the church as well as OUTSIDE.

It matters that people are struggling with depression and effects of abusive relationships (yes, it happens in the church).  It matters that people struggle with homosexuality.  It matters that people live in poverty.  It matters that racial inequality & injustice exists.  It matters that we, as Christians, divide ourselves in groups based on what WE believe about specific topics, theologically or otherwise.

I don't know the answer totally.  I don't even know what I am to do, other then to love others, get messy and try to help others.  But I do know this:

It's time to talk about taboo topics in churches and christian organizations......and to DO something about them.

On a lighter note........one more paper and I am finished with my first doctoral class!  Well, maybe that isn't a lighter note! haha