Holiday Surprise

There is a lot of excitement around our home this week. We can't believe how much God has blessed us in so many ways.

In the midst of finals and scheduling our Bible school gospel teams, Bob took part in the Christmas Concerts and Parents' Weekend.

Margaret fit in attending Christmas programs for niece, nephews and cousins along with the usual Christmas festivities of family, Bible school, seminary and World Mission Prayer League...all the while getting ready for Bob & Ruth's knee surgeries, Christmas shopping and teaching.

December 20th we had our first appreciable snowfall. The lake and ponds are now frozen and Minnesota really does look like a winter wonderland. We didn't have to buy icicles. They arrived all on their own.

December 22nd Margaret & John checked Bob & Ruth into the surgical center and prayed for them. The surgeries were a success and they were able to keep the pain under control this time. Bob was to have had about the same surgery as Ruthie's knee--tightening one side and loosing the other, but when they got inside they broke the bone, moved it over and held it all together with three screws. A bit more major than they had anticipated.

Ruth came home the same day and Bob followed on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day our daughter Esther surprised us by flying in from Los Angeles for a short visit. We had been disappointed that she wouldn't have time to visit us before packing and taking up her new responsibilities of assisting Susan Perlman, first assistant to the executive director of Jews for Jesus in San Francisco. Mary, Joe, Lily and Jacob would be arriving the 27th and it would have been wonderful to have all the kids together but we were happy that she was able to use the time to prepare for this huge new step. Then, there she was! We nearly fell over. Well, it was good that Bob & Ruth were lying down or they would have. So now we have the whole family together. What a blessing.

December 26th, while our neighbors were over for Waffle Night at the Lees, two of our kid's cousins from Canada (Ben and Karen Olson) popped in on their way to the Urbana Missions Conference. There is a special kinship among the cousins.

December 27th, we had Margaret's sister's family, Kathie & Jeff Dahl; and Margaret's cousin's family, Joy & Chris Broderson; and Margaret's aunt and uncle, Marilyn & Max Hellberg over for a time of sledding down the hill, drinking hot cider, and enjoying a late Christmas dinner and smorgasbord of desserts!

Thank you all for your continued prayers for our health, studies and ministry. We are so very grateful for those of you who take our family before His Throne of Grace.

Love,

Bob & Margaret