2010 Christmas Letter

As 2010 comes a close, it is always  fun to reflect on our year and see where God has blessed and encouraged.  This year has had many changes, and we know that in all things,  God’s glory is truly what matters!

As for Bruce, you can go back to the last 5 or so years, and it’s still the same.  Just the way he likes it!   He didn’t do a whole lot of fishing this year, but was able to reconnect with some of his old fishing buddies and went up to the Sierra’s and had a great time!  Except, of course, coming home with a pulled hamstring and that  hasn’t been fun!  He is still anxiously awaiting that retirement date, unfortunately, with the economy,  and it may mean a couple more years of working.  Bruce’s highlight for the year, is making it through the worst part of this recession.

Terri’s 2010 has been pretty good. She had been praying for God to show her where her ministry would be and is now  a Bible Study Leader on Tuesday mornings at church and has gotten a group of amazing young moms.  She has had fun getting to know them and some other young college age women to talk with and help them to be able to see how important they are and how much they truly matter to Jesus!  She is still loving being at home,  most days, it’s a whole new ballgame with two “adult” children living in the home and all that that brings!  She also has finally picked up her camera again and is ready to do some learning and explore some new options.  Terri’s highlight of the year would have to be her trip to Seattle with Ryan to see the Mariner’s vs. the Angels series over Mother’s Day weekend. It was truly a blessing.  Fun times!

Ryan turned 20 in September and is growing into a pretty amazing young man.  He still enjoys his job at Bob Marriott’s Fly Fishing Store, and tries to fish whenever he has a moment.  He works there every moment he is not in school.  Ryan has declared his major in Biology with an emphasis in Zoology!  He wants to be a Zookeeper and is working towards transferring to Humboldt State in the future.  His newest love this year has been golf.  When he gets an interest, he goes all out, and now,  is known to go out the door at 6am to play a round before work or even at 9pm to hit the driving range…oh to be 20 again!   Ryan’s highlight of the year would be his road trip he took with  his buddies Adam, William and Cody.  They spent a week traveling  to see 4 different baseball games in 4 different states: Arizona, Texas, Kansas and Colorado.  They truly had an amazing time!  What memories!

Dylan has had a year of growing up…started dating a wonderful girl, Renee in March, turned 18 in May, graduated high school n June and started Fullerton College in August!  He went to school part-time this semester and still works at Palace 4 Paws at Downtown Disney.  He is a pretty amazing guy too!  I guess I am partial, but if you ever get the chance to sit down and have a conversation with him, he will blow your socks off!  Dylan is one compassionate person and the heart of him is one that makes you want to be a better person.  And of course, his dog, Roxy is still absolutely his best friend!  Dylan’s highlight of the year would have to be Renee.  She has brought him much joy and gives him a reason to be the person he is.

We would have to agree that the biggest blessing of 2010 was our trip to Kauai, Hawaii!  What an amazing trip we had.  It was so fun to be able to have a once in a lifetime trip.  We went tubing down old sugar cane canals, sailing down the Na’Pali coast with snorkeling and an awesome spinner dolphin show on the way, yummy food and good times hanging out in the sun.  It will always be remembered, and hopefully will not be the last time.

We pray that your 2011 will bring much joy as you seek to know what God would have for your life this coming season.  May God grant you all that your heart desires as you lean daily on Him and let Him guide your every thought, attitude and motive.  Jesus loves you and so do we!  May we continue to grow in love and character together in 2011!

                                                      Bruce, Terri, Ryan and Dylan Harris
                                                                 (Roxy and Lily too!)

“Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through who also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”  Romans 5:1-4

Choosing Joy

Webter's Dictionary Definition of Joy states:   the emotion evoked by wel-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires: DELIGHT;   the expression or exhibition of such emotion:  GAIETY;  a state of happines or felicity: BLISS;  a source or cause of delight;  to experience great pleasure or delight:  REJOICE, GLADDEN, ENJOY.

Last Sunday, our Pastor began our Christmas season theme of JOY.  I must say, I am pretty excited about this, being that  one of my 2010 visions was learning Joy!  I want to get to the place where I truly live each day full of joy.  What is joy and how are we supposed to live with joy everyday?  I don't know all the answers, yet, but I am sure that God will reveal all this to me.  I wait with great anticipation to see where He will lead.  Sure, it is the end of the year, but hey, I believe in God's perfect timing and so here it is! 

I want to share a glimpse of how I've gotten to this place.  This year has been just slightly overwhelming with changes.  I'm not one who embraces change.  I don't like when things don't go as planned. I want it all to just stay the same.  But really, can that be?  Nothing ever stays the same, and if it did, what fun would that be, right?

These past few weeks I have had a general overwhelmed feeling.  I prayed and asked God to show me areas that I could let go of adn where I needed to refocus and redirect my energies. I made the painful decision to give up one of my bible study groups and a very part-time job I was doing, and although, it was a hard decision, I know it was the right decision.  Since doing this, God has given me some confirmations! 

First, church on Sunday morning was amazing.  One thing that stood out to me was, that challenge + risk + hope, brings JOY.  We have to be challenged and take the risks involved and know that our hope will bring us ultimately to JOY!  Wow, so in all the struggles and worries, we can still have JOY?  Yes!  This is exactly what I needed to hear, there is JOY in the midst of it all!   

Monday, I get a text from a friend asking me if I feel distracted?  Absolutely!  My mind is so full of what's next on the to do list, that I can't focus, or enJOY what I am doing right now.  That's what I want to change!  Anyway, through the conversation she says I need to pray about the "right things."  She went on to say "Sometimes we engage in things in our lives that we think we should be in and God doesn't want us there.  Sometimes we get in too deep, sometimes we do it for other people.  Only you and God can decide what role you play in each."  That was exactly where I had gotten! 

So then yesterday, I read Beth Moore's study of Daniel, and she says, "I understand how difficult this is.  But you must let it go.  Don't just release it.  Renounce it.  Push it off. You must, or it will eventually destroy you...get to it, because it's getting to you!"  As Isaiah 1:16-17 says, "Stop doing wrong, learn to do right!"  It's my time to have JOY in doing the "right" things, and not what I "think" I "should" be doing.  And to top of the day, I get an invitation to do a study over the Christmas break from our Tuesday morning bible study, and guess what the book is..."Choosing Gratitude...A Journey to Joy" by Nancy Leigh de Moss!  It is a study about being thankful and learning how to live that way!  Of course I'm in!

So, I have the Christmas lights on the house, decorations in the yard, tree is up and the inside of the house is all ready to celebrate the birth of Jesus!  I am excited to sit back and see, "The Lord is Good!"  Remember, we are His gift, and we are the only gift He wants!  I pray that we all find and experience His JOY as we celebrate the birth of Jesus!

Blessings to you,
Terri

As Luke 1:45 says, "You are blessed because you BELIEVED the Lord would do what He said!"