The Mueller Family New Year's Letter

This is the letter that my family sent out this year. I thought I'd put it here, too :)

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46:10-11

Dear Family and Friends,

The Mueller family has never been famous for being on-time. However, after seeing several Decembers come and go without sending out a family-newsletter, Dad and Mom and I (Laura) decided that January of 2010 was as good a time to send one as any. We hope this letter finds you all well, and well-rested and –fed after a busy Christmas season. It’s been a hard year in lots of ways for the Muellers, but what’s really amazing to me is how every one of us has seen God’s goodness through it all. That, for sure, has been a lesson worth learning.

As many of you know, my grandfather (Papa Chuck) passed away two days before Christmas. Since his condition worsened, I watched my parents care for him selflessly for months and, as we knew his time with us was short, his sickness was a growing weight on all of us. My siblings and I have been praying for Papa’s salvation since probably before we knew what it meant, and as his final days drew nearer I believe we were all wondering how God could possibly save him now. And yet, our God is great – almost 48 hours before Papa died, he read a simple version of the gospel that Dad had written, and professed it as “Good News” for him. We can now say with hope that we’ll see Papa again. In a strange and difficult way, God gave us a Christmas miracle.

Dad and Mom are now taking turns staying with Ami throughout the day, and our friend “Uncle” David is currently living there as well. Ami is doing as well as can be expected. She misses her husband of 60 years, but each day she moves forward and her hope is in the Lord.

I always knew I had good parents but this year they’ve out-done themselves – they cared for Papa and Ami, on top of their other jobs, and did a pretty swell job of keeping me in line, too. Mom’s still teaching multiple classes, and Dad is still serving the Lord as pastor of Covenant of Grace.

Beth and Jesse are heading into their third year of being married, come this June. Still no kids. (Sorry Jesse, I had to do it. ) B is quite the little homemaker, and every time we go over to their house she’s got some new bit of decoration to show us and a grand recipe to feed us. Jesse always has something fun planned for us when we come. I think this is secretly the reason that Jon and Kate both go to college within a half hour of the Brubakers.

Jon is in his second year at Biola, and has succeeded in surviving classes, acting and assistant-directing with the Torrey Theatre Group, growing a beard, and somehow foxing the lovely Megan Jackson into being his girlfriend. We’re still not sure how this happened. However silly he may be, though, the boy is increasingly bright and even filled in for Mom in her World Literature class. And did a first-rate job, might I add.

Kate went off to Azusa Pacific last semester, where she plans on surviving as an art major. Kate’s skills as an artist are really incredible – her ideas were always crazy, but now she gets good grades for them, and this looks better on transcripts. She also rides shopping-carts on balconies and barks at people from her apartment window. (I so can’t wait for college!)

I’ve been busy getting used to life as a junior in high-school and as an only-child at home, although the phrase “getting used to” implies much more progress than I’ve made. When I’m not at Ventura College, I’m usually writing, doodling, or tearing something apart in my room. (OCD has its cost.) I’ve also been really into theater, recently – I was in a friend’s production of Beauty and the Beast over the summer, and throughout last semester, Dad (yes, my Dad!) and I sang and danced our way through a community theater production of Pirates of Penzance.

Over all, it’s been a year of real change and challenge for us, but I can honestly say that I believe each one of us is closer to God through it. And having a God this strong and caring is a pretty incredible thing. We pray that He blesses this coming year for you, and for all of us.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and Happy Ground Hog Day.
-Laura, for the Mueller Family