The Word has become Flesh!
It has become flesh never to be separated from that flesh again! Not even presently on the Throne…..
The Word having become flesh creates therewith the real possibility that this Child takes your place and that this Child of flesh and blood saves, reconciles, and glorifies you, made of flesh.”-Abraham Kuyper, In den Kerstnacht (On Christmas Night)
Dear Friends and Family,
In just a couple of days we will once again celebrate Christmas, and another year is dawning upon us. Time flies so quickly that it has been 10 years since we had Y2K madness. Many things have changed in the last 10 years, yet the world is still here. Many things also happened in 2009 and by God’s sustenance we are still here.
In January Tryphena turned three and she continues to become such a blessing in our lives. We also had been praying for a second child, and in April we rejoiced when we found out that she was going to have a sibling! The baby was due on December 28. However, that joy soon turned into sorrow because God had a different plan for us. Indra had problems with her pregnancy and had to be put on bed rest. It was during one of the busiest time at my work, so I couldn’t take much time off work; however, we were thankful for friends that helped during this period, and for my mom who came to help. On May 26th, during a regular ultrasound check-up they couldn’t see the heartbeat. Upon hearing the news we felt like the sky is falling. During this difficult time our Pastor comforted us using God’s word as summarized in the Canons of Dordt Head 1 Article 17, “Since we must make judgments about God’s will from his Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature but by virtue of the gracious covenant in which they together with their parents are included, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom God calls out of this life in infancy.” Words in times like these can seem so empty. However, there is great comfort in the covenant of grace that God has made.
In July before my mom left for Indonesia we went to Lake Tahoe to relieve our stress. Click here to see our pictures in Lake Tahoe.
Tryphena started preschool in September. She is going to Montessori school in Fresno 3 days a week, and she likes going there. She likes all of her teachers, too. Click here to watch her first-day-of-school video.
In October Tryphena had a Halloween parade at her school, and she dressed as Snow White. Click here for her Snow White pictures. We also had a Reformation party at church to commemorate the 16th century Reformation movement. The party was held at one of our elders’ ranch where we had great fellowship, loads of fun, and lots of food.
One of Hizkia’s friends from high school came from New Jersey to visit us in November. He, his wife, and their two daughters were vacationing on the West Coast and they spent a couple of night at our place on their way to Yosemite National Park. It was the first time we met since we graduated high school some 20 years ago. It was great to once again connect with high school buddies face-to-face. For that matter, Facebook is also a great place to connect with old friends. Hizkia found a lot of his old friends from grammar school and middle school through Facebook.
And here we are in December, ready for yet another year. This year we celebrated our 15th anniversary. Tomorrow on Christmas’ eve we will have a Christmas service at church, and then on Christmas day we will have some friends come over to our abode to share Christmas lunch. We are looking forward to the great fellowship time!
We often look at the world with all of its problems- problems that were anticipated since the first fall in the garden. We often listen to the news and find no comfort in the seemingly hopeless world affairs: wars, famine, natural disasters, poverty, constant assault on the traditional marriage, the killing of innocent babies, the looming economic forecast, and on and on and on. Next year will become more challenging. As we celebrate Christ’s first advent this season we also pray for his second advent. Come, Lord Jesus, come soon with all of your heavenly glory to consummate our redemption and to bring us to your kingdom!
Let the heavens rejoice!
Let the earth rejoice!
Let his people rejoice for He who is of heaven has come to dwell among his people!
Rejoice with trembling and joy; with trembling because of our sins,
with joy because our Lord has taken on flesh and was made man for us and for our salvation!
Merry Christmas to all of you!
Hizkia, Indra, and Tryphena.