Merry Christmas from the Mehmen's 2009!

Another year has flown by; another year older, another year wiser, and hopefully stronger through the challenges of the years past. It has been quite a while since we've put out a Christmas letter so I thought I would attempt this one. Now, since the date today is the 15th, ok, 20th, it is highly unlikely that you will receive this by Christmas! What is the purpose of a Christmas letter anyway? I enjoy reading Christmas letters to read about friends/family's busy year, what the year has brought them, the fun times, the "special" memories, and of course the family photo's so that I can see everyone and how they have grown! (Well, the younger ones anyhow... the older ones are just sweet to see with their children.) I don't care for the pictures of just the kids, and not the parents because it is normally the parents that I know, not so much the children, and so I want to see my friends, with their families, so if you are receiving this, note to self, *send Stephanie a picture of the "grown-ups" with the kids!* So, back to the purpose of a Christmas letter... this year, I thought it ought to be about how Jesus has worked in our lives this past year and share with you the blessings He has bestowed upon our family, and share different reasons why we are so excited to celebrate this Christmas season. I pray that during this Christmas season, you will give glory to God for sending His perfect son to this imperfect world full of sin, to live among us, to be treated as we are treated...sometimes fairly, sometimes unjustly, to be beaten, spat upon, found guilty although innocent and crucified. For us. For my sin. For your sin. I know that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus birth not death, although, God already knew as well as Jesus what the miraculous game plan was, and what His future beheld, yet He choose to descend to this unworthy earth anyway. Praise God! What a perfect example of the depth of HIS love that He has for us. There is nothing that He would not do for us this year, next year, or any other year to come.

Our year has been full of ups and downs. The ups have been blessed with a wonderful husband who loves me with all his heart, and has been blessed with a wonderful job that fits his skills and talents best. He has been employed there for over a year now, and has the opportunity to work overtime when so many have no job at all. We have been blessed with 5 healthy and happy daughters. Fortunately I have been blessed to be able to stay at home with our daughters and disciple them as well as educate them. We have been blessed with a place to lay our heads, a heater to keep us warm, food in the cupboards to keep our tummies full, and a show so that we can bathe with hot water to boot! What a bonus! I think of all of the things that others do not have here in Iowa, or anywhere in the US, as well as in other countries that may not have any of the things that we are blessed with and I am thankful. We are truly blessed. We have been blessed with wonderful and supportive friends/family to encourage us on despite our times of despair. The downs have been trying, although wonderful for us to see what God had in mind for us, which we were not aware of. Sometimes these things are difficult because you have a plan, your on a path, and you are mentally prepared for the journey. HA! So you think! So, when He reveals to you what HIS plan is for you and it doesn't match up to what your plan was, then it really throws you for a loop. Your handy little navigator, or GPS doesn't help at all! On the contrary, it really confuses you! So, with that admission, we have had much clarity presented to us this year, which of course by Gods grace has been yet another blessing to our family. I cannot list all of the reasons why our family is excited to celebrate this Christmas season, for there is not enough room to list them all. I pray that our Christmas letter has been enjoyable for you to read, as yours are to us. What a blessing you all are to our family!

Sending all our love to you and your family and wishing you a very blessed Christmas. Until next time, at the end of another year that has flown by.... take care of one another.

Love the Mehmen Family