Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Grace and Peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to our Montesano Presbyterian Church family. From the bottom of our hearts Susan, Sandy and I wish you the best in the closing down of 2020 and the hope for what can be in 2021.

Let me take just a minute and review how fast and furiously this whole thing went down and where it has led:

• February 24 San Antonio, Texas – kissed my wife and kids goodbye and headed north at 0700.
• February 25 Roswell, New Mexico – A 24-foot alien in the parking lot of a Dairy Queen across the street from NMMI (New Mexico Military Institute). I told Soren he would be going there his Sr. year in high school. He didn’t buy it.
• February 26 Flagstaff, Arizona – Not feeling well. A beautiful drive. But I don’t feel well at all. Going to bed early.
• February 27 WOW! that was the Grand Canyon. Though a wrong turn, we make it to Beaver, Utah. I am not well by any means. “Where the heck are we anyway?  Who lives in Beaver?” And my truck broke down…Lord, what have I done? Pressing on.
• February 28 Twin Falls, Idaho – The snake river and some amazing scenery. I got a room at a Holiday Inn express. I slept 10 hours.
• February 29 (Leap Year) – Its 24 degrees outside. It snowed.  We have 700 miles to go. I feel better, actually I feel a lot better. I guess it really makes a difference to sleep at a Holiday Inn Express. Next Stop, The Dalles, Oregon.
• March 1, 3:00PM Montesano, Washington. We made it – with 65mph head winds. 1792.6 miles later…

March brought many exciting changes didn’t it? March 12 began a quarantine and life would be forever different.  Soren and I lived at the Dameron home and the Taylor home for 4 weeks, we loved that. We would move into the Church, have our food delivered and shower at the gym for the next three months. And now we come to December with Christmas and the end of 2020. This year began with “out processing” from the Army and looking with great expectation to a new ministry call, meeting new people, seeing new country and starting an adventurous call to serve the Lord and a big life change. Was I in for a huge surprise or what?

With Christmas days away, with the end of the year days away, I want to tell you all, thank you for making this transition smooth and relatively stress free. If it were not for the love and kindness of so many within our Church Oikos and those in the community who cared generously for a stranger from Texas, the Cobb’s would not have made it this far. Thank you all. Your Christ centered approach to life is evident in how you have adopted a family of five into all your homes and hearts. We have truly fallen in love with you all. From our home to yours Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

So, as I close out the COVID chapter of this year, I ask that we pray. As an Oikos church lets join in prayer daily for our community, for each other, for our country for our neighbors and for Christ to move in the hearts and minds of everyone we know and impact. Many opportunities will be coming our way to reach out, reach up and impact the world for Christ Jesus and we are the instruments of hope for the world around us. Please consider your call to ministry. Say, “Here I am Lord, use me.” And allow the Holy Spirit to show you where God is at work so we can join him for his Kingdom.

 See you in 2021 ><>