For to us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon his shoulder.
And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of peace.
(Isaiah 9:6)
Dear Family and Friends,
Before I
begin my annual Christmas letter, I first want to dedicate this Christmas
letter to my beloved aunt, Anne Marie Delacono, who recently passed away on
December 6, 2013. She truly was a special lady who lived her life solely for
the joy of others and dedication to her family. She left a lasting legacy to
those who knew her. She will always be a
treasured part of my heart. I’m left
richer having known her. Aunt Anne Marie, this one’s for you!
The year
2013 will be taking its final bow soon, and 2014 will take center stage. What a
year it has been for our family! I was debating if I was going to write a
Christmas letter this year but then realized that my letters each year have
turned into memoirs for our family. I
think there is something significant about sharing memories with our children,
family and friends. It’s not until we take the time to reflect on
the events, trials and victories of the past season that we can begin to see
God faithfully at work in our lives and give Him the praise He deserves!
For me, Christmas is the time of
year that should stir our hearts in memories, thanksgiving and love as we
contemplate the true gift given to us 2000 years ago in the form of a baby
swaddled in a manger. As I began to meditate
on this scene and its true meaning in my own life, the Lord kept having me go
back to the following words from the verse above: Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. In this scripture we find the message of
Christmas. Isaiah the prophet gave five awe inspiring names of God that were
meant to awaken us, encourage us and challenge us with hope each year. How has the gift of Jesus changed your life
this past year? I’m hoping as I share just a few highlights of how God revealed
Himself to us this year, that it prompts you, too, to stir the memory of His
gift of life to you!
How WONDERFUL our God is that
He graced us with the safe return of our Soldier, Craig, from a yearlong
deployment in Afghanistan. He gave our
family the grace to make it a year without our hero. We are so grateful for
God’s faithfulness and protection. Craig and I also just celebrated 11 years of
marriage together and continue to grow strong in our marriage.
As our EVERLASTING FATHER who created all
things, God allowed our first grandson, Hayden, to turn one. He is walking and
running around, healthy and strong. Kayla is working full time as a bank teller in
Illinois and continues to pursue her nursing degree. I’m proud of the obstacles
she has been able to overcome and how God is molding her into a beautiful
mother and woman.
As COUNSELOR, God has
continued to lead us to homeschool Ana and Nate, who are now 5 and 6 years
old. Nate played soccer for the first
time this year and ruled the field with his happy go lucky self. His motivation to show up was for the ice
cream after each game. Ana bikes the open roads with her dad weekly
and continues to be creative in her own ways. She is a beauty and I marvel at
how sweet spirited she is! She is very much a giver at heart. Justin is attending a small private Christian
school and is doing well academically.
He also played soccer this year and scored a number of goals. He will be headed to Africa this coming
summer on a mission trip for the Watoto Orphans. We continue to enjoy his silly
antics and sense of humor.
Our PRINCE OF PEACE, Jesus,
was just that, as He gave us the peace and grace needed to be together with
other family members throughout the year. We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day and
Christmas in July in Savannah. Also, we
headed to Ohio, Orlando and Tybee Island. There is nothing like having more
than a dozen people together in one small space at any given time—that challenges
the Jesus in you-lol! More so, He was
our peace as we lost our sweet Aunt Anne Marie earlier this month. Our peace
came from knowing that she was in the presence of her heavenly Father where
there is no more pain and suffering—only perfect love! We look forward to
seeing her again one day!
Since returning home, Craig, has been given
the opportunity to be Executive Officer of the 2-3 General Support Aviation
Battalion on Hunter Army Airfield, GA. He has also recently taken up a new
hobby in biking. He likes to rock his BRIGHT yellow cycling jersey for the
whole world to see (even the blind!) and wear his crazy helmet. I secretly
think that he thinks he is training for the Olympics!-lol
I’m still serving at PWOC and was
recently given the position of President due to our former President needing to
step down. I’m trying to find balance with all of my duties in ministry and
family, but God has been gracious. As
far as writing goes, I was given another opportunity to have one of my stories
published this year in a book called, God Meets Needs. I haven’t finished
writing the bible study I’ve been desiring to write yet, but in due season!
Lastly, Craig and I continue to teach bible study classes out of our home
together. We just finished up a six-week
study called the Art of Marriage. There is nothing more fulfilling then to see
people’s lives changed through God’s Word!
As you can see, God has been MIGHTY
GOD to us! He continues to
lavish us with blessings, health, and favor.
We gladly say goodbye to 2013 and all the old things that have passed
away! We readily welcome in 2014 because we know God will be with us,
faithfully revealing the depths of His love and meticulous plan for each of us.
In closing, we pray each of you
will have a beautiful season ahead, filled with many reasons to rejoice and
give thanks. We encourage you to forget what lies behind you and press onward
towards the prize, which God has called you heavenward in Christ Jesus!
With all our love,
The Blow Family (Craig, Kimchi, Justin, Nate, Ana and gizmo)