Christmas 2007

From the Ron Gleason Family

Dear Friends and Family:

Greetings and blessings at Christmas time! (This Christmas letter has been primarily written by Sally with some annotations by Ron. Please note that Hans has a very strange haircut—Ron.)

Writing my yearly Christmas letter always reminds me of my negligence in communicating with the many dear people I care about who never hear from me except at Christmas. Although I often think about writing and keeping in touch, this annual tradition actually forces me to act and to thank you for how God has used you to teach us valuable lessons about life, about people, and especially about Him. We have not forgotten you. Thank you for enriching our lives.

The following are some of the highlights of 2007 for our family:

Congregational needs, events, and activities, lots of people, work and family, hospitality, speaking engagements, teaching, Bible studies, and counseling filled our time, not only in January but also every other month of this year. Ron has been pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church PCA for 12 years now. This congregation has been a joy! We also were blessed that the California fires didn’t come close to our house this time, but some PCA members in our Presbytery lost their homes. It has given our diaconal boards the opportunity to help in very tangible ways—Ron.

Other events included an opportunity I had to speak at a women’s conference for a local Korean Presbyterian church, Janneke’s winter formal, Hans’ acceptance into the Orange County Sheriff’s Police Academy (I now live with a Robocop. I’m getting him doughnuts for Christmas—Ron), and Nicky’s move into her own apartment with her good friend, Danielle.

In February, Ron, with his colleague Gary L.W. Johnson, focused on writing and editing a book on post-modernism and the church. It will be published, Lord willing, by Crossway in 2008. The title is Reforming or Conforming.

March began quite normal. I spoke at two women’s retreats. Nicky celebrated her birthday on March 20^th, just like always (it has happened every year on the same date ever since she was born—Ron). However a few days later, everything normal changed. On March 23^rd, we learned that my mom had peacefully passed away in her sleep. Though Mom suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for several years, she was and always will be an irreplaceable light and love in our lives. We will all miss her.

In April, Ron was off to an annual church leadership conference, the Twin Lakes Fellowship, in Jackson, Mississippi. Ron always comes home from Twin Lakes refreshed and renewed. Later that month, I flew to Atlanta to participate in the Women’s Leadership Conference for the PCA. For the past two years, I have served as the West Coast representative for the national Women’s Advisory Sub-Committee of the PCA. I enjoy encouraging and helping women to grow in their understanding of reformed theology and their love of God’s Word.

Our friend J.D. Wetterling visited us in May. Nicky went apartment hunting again because Danielle got married. She moved into her own place in Costa Mesa and is now very near the law office where she works. The apartment is “uniquely Nicky” right down to the purple and sage walls (which look amazingly great!). (That’s a matter of opinion—Ron.)

Ron and church elder, Jim Dailey, traveled to Memphis, TN, in June for the PCA General Assembly. We also lived through the mess of installing porcelain tile floors in our home but the results are great. With the first book completed, Ron began another book at the request of Presbyterian and Reformed Publishers. This time it is a biography of Dr. Herman Bavinck scheduled to be released in the summer of 2008. He was invited to co-edit the Festschrift for Dr. David Wells also.

Hans graduated from the Police Academy July 17^th and officially became an Orange County Deputy Sheriff. We had a nice dinner celebration with his friends and supporters at our home first and then a few days later, his girlfriend’s family held a big barbecue for him. (It got a little out of hand at the end and the cops came and shut us down—Ron.) We moved Ron’s mom into a new assisted living facility. She is very happy there. We also had a wonderful visit with two dear Dutch friends, Arjan and Suus Knepper. What a joy it was to see them!

Ron and I celebrated our 40^th anniversary on August 5. After a short weekend stay in a luxurious hotel where we were treated like royalty, we returned home for a garden champagne dinner celebration with the “California kids” on the actual day. In late August, our oldest granddaughter, Lorah, arrived in California. She is living with us while she attends Providence Christian College. What a treat for us! (That, too, is a matter of opinion. No, seriously, she’s a sweetheart—Ron.)

In September, we visited the “Canadian branch” of the family. We celebrated our anniversary again with Ronnie and Jennifer, Geoff and Lisa, and ten of our eleven grandchildren (Lorah was in California). We were all “sleep deprived” for a week but we loved every minute! (It was also a rule that any time we sat down to eat or drink we had to consume at least 10,000 calories—Ron.)

Ronnie is now General Manager of the vegetable farm and packing plant where he has worked for years. Geoff is the Communications director for a bank and is preparing to enter seminary in 2009. We also had time to visit good friends and to worship in our former congregation there. When we returned, Janneke went away to camp in the San Bernadino Mountains, a big event for her. Friends, Jim and Darlene Cossin, from seminary days and John and Margriet Van Amerongen, from Canada, visited with us.

The big family event in October was Nicky’s performance in a contemporary opera production, “Red, White, and Blue”, at the Hermosa Beach playhouse near Los Angeles. Ron and I took an overnight trip to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

In November, Janneke celebrated her 30^th birthday with a bowling party, the family and some guests feasted on the Thanksgiving turkey, and Hans celebrated his 25^th birthday. Ron spent the weekends in Memphis teaching a seminary level course, Ecclesiology and Sacraments, at Reformed Theological Seminary-Memphis. Geoff and Lisa told us they are expecting grandchild #12. WOW! What a blessing!

On December 1, Hans and Blanca celebrated their 25^th birthdays together. But the big news for that night had to do with something more important than a birthday! Hans and Blanca Lyon, his girlfriend of four years, became engaged to be married!!! We’re thrilled! They’re planning a Fall 2008 wedding.

May the peace of God rule in your hearts and minds as you celebrate this beautiful season of the year and may the year 2008 be filled with blessings and spiritual riches that only He can give! (I’ll close with a photo of Sally and me at the Reagan Museum and Library—Ron.)

Love,

Ron and Sally Gleason

Janneke, Nicky, Hans, & Blanca

Hosanna, the family German Shepherd