MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM JACK PETERS AT SERMON SEEDS
Posted by: jpeters <jpeters@...>
JACK AND DOTTIE PETERS
RD 2, BOX 233, KITTANNING, PA 16201 - 724-548-2760
http://www.sermonseeds.org, jpeters@alltel.net
December, 2004
2 Corinthians 9:15 - Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.
Dear Loved Ones and Friends:
Dottie and I have spent the last few days busy finding and purchasing gifts for friends and family. It has been quite a chore, but one we are glad to do. We dont mind being inconvenienced a little because we love those we purchase gifts for. God in his love did not mind being inconvenienced either when He sent His Son to earth. He knew the only way He could have His perfect righteousness satisfied was to send His sinless Son to die for our sins. It is Jesus death on the cross that paid for our sins. Jesus death, burial, and resurrection is Gods gift to us. All we have to do is accept that gift by trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. John 3:16 says, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. If you havent already, please accept Gods wonderful gift by trusting Christ as your Savior.
There are many words that I could use to describe 2004. The words dull or boring would not be on that list. Here are some of the things that happened to the Peters family during this year.
January Dottie and I began the year the way we ended it, ministering to the people of the Mount Union Bible Church in West Valley, Pennsylvania, and me helping pastors write sermons through my Sermon Seeds ministry on the World Wide Web. By the 23rd of January, however, our year had its first blessing. Our daughter and son-in-law, Donna and Tim Spayd, became parents of Noah, their first child. Donna is still working at a day care center where she is able to take Noah with her. Tim is working for Federal Express part-time and looking for work full-time.
February - As you may know, our son David and daughter-in-law Carletta adopted two children, Nicole (7) and Ty (5). In February they were asked to become foster parents for Tys three birth siblings, 2 girls and a boy, all under the age of three at the time. The foster parent position was accepted with the understanding that adoption of these children was to be pursued.
April The highlight of April was my Mom and Dad, John and Ethel Peters, spending a week with us out here in West Valley. In the course of that week Great Grandma and Great Grandpa had the opportunity to see all of their great grandchildren. David and Mark brought their children to our house and we stopped at Donnas so they could see Noah. Dads health was failing, and he was showing signs of Alzheimers Disease. However, he gladly held both of his youngest great grandchildren for the first, and sadly, last times.
May Our son, Mark, was hired as assistant professor in the Music Department at Trinity Christian College in Palos Heights, Illinois. On May 28th, after being in the hospital and then a nursing home for about two weeks, my Dad went home to be with the Lord. He was almost 83. We were comforted by friends and family who celebrated Dads life with us at the funeral home and at the funeral. Dads service was a real family affair with several family members participating. My brother, Art, an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church, did an excellent job leading the service.
July Mark and Candace packed up their stuff and moved to Illinois for Marks new job. Dottie and I helped mostly by watching grandchildren Jared (3) and Ellie (1) while they packed and cleaned.
August My Mom spent several days in the hospital and we received word that her kidneys were not functioning well at all. We spent several days with her. She went from the hospital to a nursing home for a few days. Some of us celebrated her 82nd birthday with her with a small party in the nursing home. The next day, I went walking, as I was in the habit of doing, and tripped over a piece of sidewalk. My shoulder was dislocated and had to be put back in place in the hospital emergency room. Later we discovered that I had badly torn my rotator cuff in my right arm.
September I began to get therapy and do exercises for my shoulder. Towards the end of the month my Mom went back into the hospital. On the night of September 24th she joined Dad in the presence of the Lord. We hadnt expected this, but are confident that God knows what he is doing. The funeral was again a family affair, with many of us participating.
October Mark and Candace swelled the number of grandchildren to baseball team proportions (9) by blessing us with Josiah Luke, a beautiful bouncing baby boy born on October 17th.
November We began the month in court and even had our picture taken with the judge! Matthew (3),
Rebecca (2), and Charissa (11 months) were officially adopted into the family. The family home at 202 Church Lane, Wayne, N.J. was put up for sale and we accepted a bid on it two weeks later. Jack saw a specialist at the VA Hospital in Pittsburgh and was advised to have arthroscopic surgery to reattach tendons and repair his rotator cuff.
December At the time of this writing, Dottie and I are planning to be in New Jersey for a few days to help my brothers Don and Art and sister Debbie clean out the family home before its pending sale. On December 22nd I am scheduled for arthroscopic surgery on my rotator cuff. Our son, David, will preach for me on December 26th. He is in the process of looking for another church to pastor, having recently resigned after five years of pastoring in Markleysburg, Pennsylvania.
This was an active year, full of many joys and sorrows. Through the year God has shown Himself faithful to the Peters family. Although this year was one of the more challenging ones weve faced, we praise God for being with us all the way!
May you and yours have a blessed Christmas and a happy New Year! Keep in touch!
With love in Christ,
Jack and Dottie Peters
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