It’s nice sitting down to write this letter knowing that we are blessed with so many great friends and family. We appreciate our relationships will all of you! We’ll get right to the point and start bragging about our kids!
Abby (21) and her husband Simeon both graduated (with honors!) from Indiana Wesleyan University just this past week. Abby’s major was Christian Worship and Simeon’s Biblical Literature. They will continue to live and work in Marion until late summer when they plan to move to Jackson, MS where Simeon will attend Wesley Biblical Seminary. They are going to make a great ministry team!
Josh (20) has been taking some time off of college. He has a job at Taylor University (near Marion, IN) and lives in a house full of guys near that campus. He’s still crazy about music and guitars and plays in a band called The Colorful. His biggest interest in life is a sweet girl named Jessica. We’ve been enjoying getting to know her on her visits home with him this past year. He eventually hopes to get back into college with the goal of becoming a high school English teacher.
Paul (18) graduated from HS in the spring, spent the summer slaving over the dirty dishes at Burger King and is now a freshman at Bethany Bible College (Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada) where his major is global missions. He loves being a part of the College Chorale and enjoys his part-time job in the campus library. We’re excited to have him home for Christmas break!
Thomas (17) is in 11th grade. He followed in his older brothers’ footsteps and has a part time job at the same BK that Paul and Joshua worked at. He’s in the middle of figuring out his future. He’s currently in the process of enlisting in the National Guard and will be looking at ROTC programs and college options over the next year. He’s still very involved in music playing lead guitar for our worship team every Sunday and leading the worship team for youth.
Philip (15) is in 9th grade. His passion is classical music and piano. He also plays cello and a few other instruments in his school’s band. At church he regularly plays piano for worship and runs power point. He’s now officially taller than his mother!
Sam (13) is in his last year as a “middle schooler”. He’s yet another Jones musician! His first love is playing bass, but he also plays drums and keyboard. Sam continues to live life with enthusiasm. His response to Mom’s kitchen endeavors is so fun it makes all the work and effort worthwhile!
Andrew (12) is in 7th grade. He’s about as easy-going a kid as you could hope for! Very mild-mannered, easy-to-get-along with, and a great help for Mom around the house or watching younger brothers. He’s the oldest of the boys being homeschooled so he gets a bit of a taste of being the “top gun” each day from 8-3!
Peter (10) is a pleasure to have around. He’s a good student, loves to read, and is always quick to jump up to help when he sees a need. Peter’s especially looking forward to having his Grampy Gorveatte here for Christmas – they’re two of a kind!
David (9) is our little sports jock and drummer-boy. Just last Sunday he debuted as a drummer for the worship team and did an awesome job! He’s all about fun. He’s often been known to get up early and make breakfast for his Dad as a special treat. He’s a keeper!
Daniel (7) is our biggest talker. He’s had some strong personality traits develop this year. He’s become obsessed with making money and is always creating some kind of entrepreneurial situation. He sells toys. He created a back-massage business. He hires his brothers. He sells his Halloween candy. He’s also into tools and carpentry and has signs posted around the house advertising his “fix-it” business. He brings us lots of joy!
This has been a most unusual Christmas season. Several weeks ago Stephen had some abnormal lab results when he went for a routine check-up at the family doctor. There was no real alarm on our part as he has no symptoms of anything wrong and the lab report seemed only slightly abnormal – not drastic. That simple, routine blood test set in motion a series of more tests which ultimately resulted in a referral to a hematologist/oncologist who ordered even further testing. Finally, this past week, we were given an official diagnosis that confirmed the doctor’s suspicion of cancer.
The cancer, myeloma, is a blood/bone marrow cancer. Thankfully, it was caught early before any damage has set in to his bones or organs. We are still awaiting test results to determine the “stage” but the doctor seems to believe it’s at an “early” stage. We are very thankful for this! And again, he has no physical symptoms at this point. Yes, it is serious and we really covet your prayers! It could be weeks, months, or even years before we need to begin treatments and we may have no further information for awhile. He’ll set up a blog on the internet soon to provide updates so that we don’t have to bore people with medical stuff every time we have a conversation.
Otherwise…life is normal! We continue to enjoy pastoring in West Michigan. Hard to believe it’s been three years since we left Alabama!
This Christmas Isaiah 9:6 has become very precious to us. We are standing on the proclamation that the baby whose birth we now celebrate is indeed our Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Especially the reality that Jesus really is the Prince of Peace. Peace is not the absent of chaos (and certainly not the absence of noise!). Yet the peace of God has been something that we’re experiencing in high definition, in 3-D this Christmas. Philippians 4:6-7 and Isaiah 26:3 are “screaming” at us “loudly” in a profound and deep way these days!
We wish you a Merry Christmas! Glory to God – a Savior is born!!
