It is not often that we can truthfully sing about a white Christmas in Olympia, Washington, but this year we weren’t just dreaming of it, we were witnessing it. As the snow began to fall, and we stoked the fire in the fireplace next to our Christmas tree, listening to Christmas music, eating Christmas goodies, exchanging presents, we were living out the quintessential “American Christmas.”

Then, the power went out, the roads froze over, we couldn’t make it to Holly’s sister’s home for Holly’s birthday, the car got stuck trying to get up our steep driveway, and two days later I needed to drive the boys on icy roads to the airport at 2:30am, and I realized that as beautiful as the snow is, it also brings a set of challenges. But by God’s grace, the power came back on several hours later, we unstuck the Subie car from the hill, I made it up to SeaTac and back safely, the boys are enjoying Cross Conference in warm Kentucky, and in another few days the roads will be cleared and snow will (probably) be a thing of our memories.

The last couple weeks with Adam home from seminary in Kentucky, Andrew on break from work, Alyssa on break from school, and me home from trainings in Africa, has been wonderful for our family. Although I had aspirations of memorable epic adventures, the reality was that we just hung out around the home, played games together, sung songs together, had family devotions together, ate lots of food together, and just enjoyed being a family together.

Now we are all resuming our regular routines, and yet the fun family Christmastime that 2021 offered will remain in our hearts and memories. I truly am thankful for the family God has given me. What a blessing that we all know and love Jesus Christ, the reason for the season. I hope your Christmas has been blessed despite challenges, or maybe even better is that you can see God’s blessings through the challenges.