Keeping Christmas simple--even when it's anything but!

Christmas has always been just a little more--eventful than simply a seasonal holiday celebration for me (Eryn).

Christmas four years ago: I was gearing up to head into one of Thailand's mountain hill-tribe villages to help in a church plant.

Christmas three years ago: Preparations for a week-long missions conference--Urbana- in St Louis. Including flying/training in friends from around the country to attend.

Christmas two years ago: Ireland with my best friend. Visiting her missionary family. Including evangelism in their church and city.

Christmas last year: My first Christmas with my (soon-to-be, then) new family. And a new home/job search/life--out-of-college existence awaiting me back in Milwaukee.

Christmas this year--no less eventful!

Thursday Gray and I will drive 6 hours up North (And I mean Up North!) to the U.P. to spend Christmas with his family. (And my first Christmas with younger siblings!!) The day after Christmas, we make the 10-hour drive to Savanna, IL. To meet up with Gray's brother and sister -in-law, Mitchell and Anna. But first we stop by my parents house to drop off the puppy! Then the next day, all four of us leave from Savanna for a 5+ hour drive to St Louis for the once-every-three-years Urbana Missions conference. Hosting hundreds of misisons organizations, bringing in dozens of speakers and teachers from around the world, and accommodating 22,000 (last time I was there) students eager to wet their hands in global missions.

We've been awaiting and preparing for this conference for about a year now. We're praying that through it we will gain a grasp of what organization we will seek to team with in serving in SouthEast Asia. It's an overwhelming and daunting task, but with God's blessing, we're well on our way. We already have meetings set up with OMF (Formerly China Inland Missions), and Pioneer missions, to sit down and discuss possible opportunities and the dynamics of their organizations.

After Urbana, we all load into the station wagon once again, and drive through the night for another 9 hours for our friends' wedding in Iowa! Then, the next day, another 9-hour drive home.

People always say to do these things while you're young and with no children! So--we are!


This season has been surprisingly busy. Gray has thankfully been given a lot of hours up on those roofs. And has proven himself once again my hero by working long hours in Wisconsin's treacherous temperatures. I've been keeping myself busy with extra hours at work (I'm now working 30 hours a week at Church, plus childcare) And many Christmas projects, including gift tins for all of our neighbors. We've been using the extra time we do find to develop relationships with old friends and new.

Even after the Holidays, it doesn't seem as thought things will slow down too much! I've signed up as a coach for our basketball ministry at church for 7 and 8 year-old girls! With Grayson working, and my taking on this team without knowing a fool thing about basketball--it should prove interesting!! We're also seeking to become more involved in the student ministries at our church. I do a lot of the behind-the-scene administrative work at church, but we would like to become involved in face-to-face ministry with the students. This past weekend I was blessed to help lead the freshman and sophomore high schoolers in serving at one of Milwaukee's homeless shelters. And--probably most exciting of all--One of our pastors and good friends at church has asked Grayson to teach a 3-month-long class at church on the book of Colossians! Gray has been studying hard in preparation, and we're excited to see him moving into more of a teaching roll.

I know this is getting long, but I just want to share something I've been thinking a lot about this Christmas, which has been a huge blessing to me. Being an avid journaler throughout the years, I've come to cherris looking back through my life and comparing time from time, and seeing how the Lord has blessed me so greatly. This Christmas, as I look back at one year ago from now, I can't even begin to fathom how greatly the Lord has provided for us.

A year ago, I had just left Bible school for financial reasons and moved into a new apartment, basically scraping together pocket change to pay for my first month rent. My waitressing job paid (sometimes) $100/week. Our new car was literally a miracle, as I had no transportation. Grayson was laid off. Construction is mean in the Winter months. we wanted so badly to be married, and it seemed impossible in any near future plans. I remember sitting in my new empty apartment, and wanting so badly simply to have a Christmas tree with few decorations, yet hardly being able to buy food for the week. I was an ex-college student, alright! Yet throughout these tough months, Gray and I found it such a blessing to lean upon the Lord, and watch His faithful provisions. Friends and Family stood near us, allowing us, of course, to learn through experience and hardship, but also helping us however they may.

Now, I can sit in our new, beautiful home, next to my husband and holding our puppy, and watch our wonderful 1st Christmas tree! Urbana missions conference would have been impossible had things not changed. But the Lord has seen fit to bless us and provide, and take us in His way and on His path, towards His desire for our life and marriage.

The Lord is good to allow hardships, in order to draw us near to Him, and He is good to watch over us in such a way to protect from evil and ruin. He is good and faithful to grant us our desires.

It will be a wonderful first Christmas together!


We love you all, and thank you for the time you invest in our lives. Merry Christmas! Remember to keep it simple :)

-Grayson and Eryn