THE GIFT OF CHRIST, THE GIFT OF PAIN, AND THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP

For some reason the Christmas messages are so hard for me to write.  They just don't come easy or seem to flow.  Probably because there are so many jumbled thoughts.  For the Homecoming messages, it's all about the hope we have and the focus is on Heaven someday.  During the Christmas holidays it's about the birth of Christ, family get togethers, exchanging of presents, the decorations, the memories, etc. This year I thought of 3 things that are the mainstays in our life.  Things that have been prevalent this year especially.

The first and the foremost is and always should and will be is the gift of Christ.  Everyone knows that this is why we celebrate the holiday of Christmas but for each it has it's own significance and it's own meaning.  For some it's a complete and humble thankfulness for such a gift and all that He means in our lives in the here and now and in eternity when when our time here is up.  For some it's the "yeah, you know the baby in the manger thing, born to a virgin, wisemen, shepherds, you know the story" and that's as far as it goes.  To us, Christ has been all He has said He would be but in a very quiet manner this year.  We seem to be continuing to put one foot in front of the other, still remEMbering how our lives use to be, but being grateful for new blessings and the feeling of simply being cared for.  Sometimes Jesus feels distant and appears to be silent.  But none-the-less we are thankful for His life and overjoyed with the expectancy of Heaven.  He continues to be our everything, our comforter, our sustainer, our provider and our Hope.  Our hearts will always be bowed before His majesty and forever grateful for such a gift.  One that gives life, extends forgiveness, and gives eternal life!

The other gift apparent this year has been the concept of "the gift of pain".  It was kind of a hard one to swallow but one we have come to accept and even appreciate to some small degree.  It is a gift that no one wants to receive!  In our circumstance we have found that there is such a gift.  It's one that allows us to comfort others just as we ourselves have been comforted.  It is a gift in which we look at this world so differently and because of that there is much more contentment, much more deep, sincere caring,  and more time spent on the things that really matter.  Without the gift of pain, these attributes wouldn't be present to the degree that they are now.  Our hearts are much more thankful, much more hopeful and the constant worry of the future and getting old are pretty much non-existent.  So even though it is the gift we would have never wanted to receive we have learned to embrace such a gift and use it to hopefully minister to someone else along the way.

And where would we be without the gift of friendship?  In times when Jesus feels distant or silent, our friends and family have been Jesus with skin-on to us. They have never faltered in their care for us, (though many would disagree and say they haven't done enough).  The fact remains that there are many that would be there whenever we let them know and we know the depth of care and compassion that they feel for us.  That is a gift for which we are most grateful.  They walk this road with us feeling insufficient and humble about how they just "don't get it or know what to do" but they are there.....through and through.....they are there!  The e-mails, the sincerity of tears, the long, hard hugs often times without words spoken, the phone calls and attendance at Em's memorial weekends speak volumes to us. Some of Em's friends would fall into that category of dear friends as well by their constant thoughts of us. I would be remiss if I didn't mention one particular friend who has been there for our Sar.  For college kids and the load they carry and lives that naturally take on new directions, Sarah Schipper has made our Sar a priority.  She has really walked this road with us and has been there every step of the way. After Em's accident she spent that week in the hospital waiting room with chairs pushed together, watched Sarah grieve while away from home at college and 3 years later she followed us to the hospital at 1:00 a.m. when Rydik was born.  (Thank you Sarah for the gift of your friendship to Sar and our family!) When we talk about all these friends who have been so faithful, we are blessed that so many are our family as well.  Family ties run deep at times of trial and connects you at a whole new level. So this Christmas holiday we are so thankful for the incredible gifts of friendship that we have received.  We are blessed to have so many!

In closing, we wish to convey our love to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  We look forward to seeing all His goodness revealed to us one day. We further wish we were never the recipients of that "gift of pain" that no one ever wants but we will use that gift to hopefully minister to others in times of need and sorrow.  We wish to thank all of you for your love shown, your visits to Em's site, and for remEMbering our precious Em.  We are also grateful to have a Christmas where there are toys to be bought again and new memories to be made and some joy that we find in our household once again.  Praise be to God for the MANY gifts of this Christmas season!

Merry CHRISTmas!  Our love to you all,
The Duits family