What I learned at Christmas 2010

Christmas 2010

This year on Christmas day we loaded up our car and headed to my Aunt Martha and Uncle Donnie’s house for our family Christmas get together. We always like going to their house because it is warm and welcoming. It is a log cabin with a huge fireplace and many other features that make it awesome for Christmas and family get togethers. As a boy I have fond memories of going to Asheboro, NC for Christmas. Now my boys are able to go and enjoy it just like I did. As we gathered around the table for a wonderful Christmas meal Aunt Martha had place a gift for everyone at each place setting. It created an atmosphere of suspense wondering what is in the pretty paper. We sat down and Aunt Martha told us to open our gifts. We opened our gifts and each person was given something from my grandpa’s house who had died 5 years earlier. I got his wallet and file. Laurie got a sausage grinder. My boys got tools that my grandpa had used at one time. My brother Barry got a old refillable oil can similar to the one used by Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz. It was cool and we for moment remember a wonderful man who loved all of us. The gifts were old and smelly and were not brand new but they allowed us to go back in time and enjoyed some warm memories of Grandpa Lewis. The strange thing that happened was that we all remembered him but then we realized that he is not with us and it brought a tear to our eyes. You see grandpa loved Christmas and he called it shirt day because he always got shirts for Christmas.

I get some of the same thoughts when I look at the cross. I feel good because I know Christ and his love. My heart is thankful for what Christ did for me. Then I get a little sad because it was because of me He had to endure such a cruel death. My mixed emotions are painful and yet very satisfying. Similar to when I think about my grandpa. The amazing thing is that Jesus is with me now and is helping me everyday to live for Him. I am so thankful for the baby Jesus that came to earth in a manger but I am more thankful that he did what He was supposed to do. He went to the cross for me and died for my sins. Thanks Jesus and thank you, Aunt Martha, for giving me some old tools to remind me of a great man and for reminding me of a wonderful Savior.

Lewis Family Christmas Letter

Another year is coming to the end and we are preparing for Christmas. We are thankful for God’s greatest gift to mankind through the Christ child that came so many years ago. We are thankful that this child changed the world for the better. May His joy be yours this Christmas. This year has been an exciting one around the Lewis home. Let us share a little about what has been going on:

Cameron is growing up to be a fine young man who enjoys life to the fullest and has a great sense of humor. He is also very compassionate. He loves football but this past fall decided to play soccer with his brother so not to disappoint him. They played well together and enjoyed a great season. Randy and Cameron got to go to a preseason game where the Panthers played the Jets. They sat right behind the Jets bench and Cameron got to watch his favorite player, LaDainian Tomlinson. It was a great night. Cameron still excels in school and is loved by all his teachers.

Kyle is growing up and maturing right before our eyes. He played soccer for the JV team last spring and started. He was playing against players who were 2 and 3 years older than him. Right now we are in the middle of 9^th grade basketball season and he is playing more than last year. He took a step in his faith this summer and was baptized by his dad. It was a special moment for both. God is developing in him a heart to help others. Laurie and Randy pray that they can help him do the things that God is asking him to do.

Laurie has moved from subbing to full-time employment in the York county school system. She is an assistant in a severely handicapped class and is enjoying her work. She is still involved in church a lot. Back in January her dad had major surgery and Laurie was able to go home for a few weeks. We are thankful for friends who help us in times like those. Her dad has had a full recovery and is doing great. We got to go to Canada this summer and visit with them.

Randy has had a good year. He has coached both the boys in sports and enjoys that most of the time. He is involved with a group of pastors here in York that are helping him in his ministry.

We are thankful for this time of year where we remember all the blessing that God has given to us this past year! May you have wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.

Merry Christmas from Randy, Laurie, Kyle & Cameron

Kyle's Baptizm

The last couple of weeks have been quite good. I have had a goal of walking through a discipleship/mentoring program with Kyle. We have started it and I have thoroughly enjoy it. This past week we talked about Authentic Faith and where it comes from. I am using a book written by Andy Stanley called the Seven Checkpoints. We will continue to work through this book and continue to discuss other things that I think he needs to know to become a godly man in our world today. It is going to be an awesome journey together. I told him last week that this was one of the best hours I have ever spent. He was excited about it. So, this past Sunday evening I had the privilege to baptize Kyle. It was completely cool. I don’t know how my dad did it with me and my brother and sister. It was a very moving experience for me and for Kyle.
Kyle has been asking me to baptize him for quite a while now but I didn’t feel good about it. I thought he was too young to understand what the true meaning of baptism is. The discussion came up several times and I continued to say no, I did not think he was ready. I stuck to my guns. We are pushing kids to do things that they are not ready for and they really don’t appreciate what they have. I could name a dozen things that I think kids get too early and are not ready for it. Like pushing kids into guy-girl relationships, they are not capable to understand what it means to be in this kind of relationship.
Sunday night when I baptized Kyle he came out of the water with tears in his eyes thankful for what Christ had done for him. It was awesome. We got home and I asked if he was glad I made him wait and with out hesitation he said “YES”. Then he hugged me again and said thank-you. I know I am not a perfect parent but I am thankful that I made him wait so he could understand what Baptism is all about. He is making a stand to live for Jesus and I couldn’t be happier. Thank you Lord for this wonderful experience with Kyle. I can’t wait for Cameron now. God has blessed me with 2 wonderful boys that love Jesus.

Zipline Fun

Cameron was the brave one among the Lewis' and he decided to zip on the zipline at Caton's Island. He was very excited after this run. Rob also was brave and zipped.