This is our Christmas letter that you can delete or save and read at your leisure. We just want you to know we are happy to hear from all of you; and we are trying to make up for failing to send cards or letters last year and other years!!! We are both doing well so here goes with happenings in Anthem.
Rarely do we recommend movies because it’s seldom we are willing to battle the theater crowds with wheezing & sneezing adults, and crying children, and narrators who think it’s their job to talk through the movie. This is yet another sign we are turning into cranky senior citizens š But today we took in a matinee of “I Heard the Bells,” one of the dearest stories ever that we’d love everyone to see. My all-time favorite Christmas carol is “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” so the movie, based on true events, brought it to life for me. If you’d rather watch a movie at home, “Why the Nativity?” is available on YouTube and other venues. You can find it in your computer’s search engine. We learned so much from it and plan to watch it at least one more time.
Since books are dear companions, attempting to read 2-3 per week, I have to recommend “The Post-Modern Pilgrim’s Progress”, an allegorical tale based on the original “Pilgrim’s Progress”. The authors, Joel Berry and Kyle Mann, are editor-in-chief and managing editor of the “Babylon Bee.” It was my choice for book club last month and almost everyone loved it. While I am reading books and participating in several social activities, Jerry continues to keep his computer customers contented. His goal in the coming year is to be more of an encourager to all those around us. I think he already does a good job of showing Christ’s love!
After suggesting movies and a book, our next recommendation would be to get a cat. Unless you are allergic, cats (and most dogs also) bring a lot of love into a home. We won’t mention the destroyed furniture and middle of the night wake up calls while fur balls being upchucked. It’s a small price to pay for unconditional love in a world so lacking in acceptance. On those very rare days when my health challenges keep me from activities, our Jekyl assists Jerry in giving lots of tender, loving care.
That said, it’s really uncharitable to talk about a lack of love in this world when we are feeling so blessed by all the wonderful friends who have brought joy and sunshine into our lives over the 55 years of our marriage. We have slogged through many moves, starting in Key West, Florida, then on to Virginia Beach, and four cities in Texas………and our final destination of Minnesota. Or so we thought Minnesota! We had planned that to be the last stop. However, one of us couldn’t handle the cold and snow. I won’t say which one, but it was the one who had to do the plowing and shoveling of the white stuff!!! So now Anthem, Arizona has been home since 2009, and we love it and the kind and caring friends (and family) we’ve met here. We hope our next move will be Heaven, all in God’s perfect timing. In the meantime, we wish we could spend time with each of you. It’s really difficult to be so far away from family and friends of many years, and it’s getting more difficult for us to travel. We welcome guests and look forward to visits from some of you this winter!
This past year we have spoken with many who are dealing with serious illness, financial difficulties and various other painful situations. Our prayer list is long, but we have room for more. Our prayer for you is never despair no matter what heartaches or hardships come your way. There is a friend who walks closer than a brother. If you don’t know Jesus personally, may this be the season to welcome Him into your heart. The last verse of “I Heard the Bells” sums it up so beautifully: “Then pealed the bells more loud and deep. God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men.”
Sending love, blessings and wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy & healthy 2023!
Taz and Stormy say Hello to Jekylā¦thanks for the update and recommendationsāļøāļø
Thx Charlotte for your Christmas post! Really sent a reminder about what CHRISTmas is all about!! Loved itā¤ļø
Thank you for sharing this. Your blogs are always so uplifting!
Merry Christmas from your MN family. Iām snowed in and totally understanding your leave the snow country behind sentiment. I usually do the snow removal with help from a local who plows when it gets really bad, but heās sick so it will just be me battling the 6 foot drifts.
Merry Christmas to you and Jerry! What a lovely letter and thank you for the movie suggestions! Peace, good health and joy to you and Jerry in 2023!
Love, Sandi and Terry
Merry Christmas, Charlotte, Jerry and Jekyl. Even though we miss the weather this time of year in Anthem and all our friends, we now have an abundance of family here in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania. Today was our first winter storm since returning to the East Coast. It is rain and ice all day. We adapt accordingly as is our nature. We are expecting a white Christmas, according to the latest reports. Miss you guys and our discussions.
Thanks so much for this wonderful Christmas blog. And so blessed to be on its āmailā list. The Kirbys send joyous Christmas greetings , and wishes for a great New Year, 2023! Our lifeās journey has brought blessings galore with the lifetime friends GOD has given us. You two are some of those precious blessingsā Love, Bess and Charles Kirby
What a joy to hear from you and read all your good wishes!
May God bless you and Jerry throughout the coming year and he has done in the past.
Merry Christmas!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Charlotte, for sending this second Christmas letter (as the first did not arrive). You have the BEST style of writing so keep sending news.
By now you have received my Christmas letter…..not nearly as interesting as yours.
Have a blessed Christmas you two lovebirds. Love, Linda
Merry Christmas š
Charlotte ( and handsome Jerry), thank you for the Christmas newsletter update! Not a lot of new info for us, as we were blessed to have had a recent visit with you! We hope that Christmas and New Years hold much love and many enjoyable visits for you. As you pray diligently for others, please know that we hold you both close in prayer! We miss you and love you both! We look forward to the next chance we have to visit! February, I think! ā¤ļøšš
Dearest Charlotte, your blogs are always so uplifting and encouraging, but especially this one. You and Jerry have indeed been blessed many times over, and I have, too, no doubt about it! As you know, I suffer from chronic, severe back, rib, and hip pain, but what I love telling people is that I wake up every morning filled with joy. I know it’s a gift from God. What else could it be? I’m not the type of person to rejoice in sufferings, yet, every morning my Heavenly Father enables me to be able to say, “This is the day that the Lord has made. I WILL rejoice and be glad in it”, and really mean it! I am so grateful to God for this remarkable gift of joy in the midst of this pain. He has been so good to me, even though I know I don’t deserve all of His goodness towards me. It’s a good thing that HE does not base HIS love toward us because of the things we have done for Him, but because He loves us. “We love because HE first loved us.” (I John 4:19) Charlotte, Thank you for your movie and book recommendations, too! Reading is in my top two list of things I love to do. And you would probably guess the other one: playing the piano! What’s really special about playing the piano is that I can take my Bible with me to the piano and open it up and start singing Scripture. Often, before I know it, I have composed a Christian song. I don’t do it for profit. It’s simply a way that I can use my music to praise the Lord.
Keep writing, Charlotte, you are an inspiration to so many, including me.
Much Love from Texas!!! ā„
Thank you for your Christmas Letter. I hope snail mail gets our card to you.
We look forward to an in person visit with you this winter!
Love,
Brenda and Kent
Hi Char,
I really found your newsletter fun and interesting!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!