Between the time I sent out the paper greetings with a much shorter version of this page, I came to learn the situations of co-workers, friends, and extended family members who were facing some significant life challenges. And I’m talking about life challenges that make the greeting “Merry Christmas” almost ring hollow. For those in mourning or facing other hard points in life, I pray you will rest in the Lord and look to Him for comfort. While we are in the midst of any trouble, God promises that though we may suffer a time of grief, He intends that in time we should rejoice, and no one will take away the joy He gives (John 16:22).
Some of my friends haven’t found their way to the other side of grief yet or are still recovering from health issues. Nevertheless, I share here the snapshot of life in hopes that it may bring a smile or brief respite from heavier concerns.
Our year was not without some grief. I could not have known that my trip in November 2013 to visit my mother Shirley in a nursing home in West Virginia would be my last. You can see the highlights of that visit here: Kingwood Miles for Smiles
In 2002, about two years before the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease, she had made a profession of faith. On 13 March 2014, Shirley went to be with the Lord. Now I smile when I mark on her mail from debt collectors “not at this address.” (I inhibit the “Hallelujah!”)
Before our children started attending colleges in various locations, everybody’s “Been There Map” was the same. As adults, each child has had the occasion to travel independently. Now their excursions have come to rival my travels in the Navy. Here’s the latest:
Tabitha graduated from Northeastern University with her PhD in English. The job search was global and yielded a position at the American University in Dubai. Yes, Tabitha lives and works in Dubai, a city with record-setting skyscrapers, indoor ski slopes and a stunningly diverse population.
Seth works for Weta, a film company in New Zealand (NZ). He’s a tech writer for the many computer programs used in computer-generated imagery (like the effects seen in Planet of the Apes and The Hobbit). Travel arrangements to NZ with girlfriend Jess were easy; however, travel arrangements for their cat named Wednesday required something akin to planning a precision military operation, including a countdown in hours between a pre-launch veterinarian check-up to quarantine accommodations for in-processing upon landing on NZ. Now they’re all together in Wellington.
They tell their own story here:
http://llamasapplepie.blogspot.com/2014/12/2014-in-review.html
Joanna and Doug have good jobs that keep them pretty much in one spot on the globe.
When they’re able to take time off for travel, they seem to favor places that feature sand.
A GPS tracker would show their courses to the Atlantic shore of Maryland and the deserts of Williams, Arizona and Las Vegas, Nevada. Closer to home, they enjoy camping, and they’re still involved in community theatre.
William is in the second year of his doctorate in music composition at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he is a graduate teaching assistant. This year, William traveled to Cortona, Italy, to participate in the 2014 Cortona Sessions for New Music. Upon returning from that gig, he traveled to South Korea for a symposium held at the National Theatre of Korea.
You can see photos of his trips on Facebook (williamkenlon). See and hear some of his work here: http://williamkenlon.com/
While the kids were globetrotting, Marilee and I were tending to our mundane but necessary domestic chores. Among these were animal care. These links contain a few details from the “critter perspective.”
The Others…
Holly the cat succumbed to old age while we were preparing to launch Wednesday to New Zealand to catch up with Seth and Jess. Wednesday made a post about the event:
We acquired two young cats when another friend of ours could no longer care for them. So now real life is once again aligned with my cryptic vanity license plate: 4K2C1D (4 kids, 2 cats, 1 dog).
Marilee and I are blessed with health and employment. We give God the glory for all we have. Wherever you are in your life-travels, join us as we praise Him in this season and throughout the coming year.
