I bring you good tidings of great joy! A Savior is born and remains with us. It has been difficult to look around and find joy very often this past year. Most of you will be reading this on January 1, 2025—the beginning of a new year and our hope that 2025 will be better. As I said on Sunday, the calendar is completely oblivious to our trauma and grief. The calendar has no idea what makes us happy or sad. We are what changes. We are where hope can be found! So yes, January 1 is the beginning of a new calendar, but we get to have new hope every day. God’s mercy is new every morning. My prayer is to be better in 2025. My prayer is to be more because people will need more. My prayer is to love more because love is in a battle against hate in our world, and I want love always to win.
I visited Keith Butterfield tonight in the hospital. His son Bruce was with him and has been all day. Keith missed church Sunday morning, and several of you asked about him. Doug Kelcey sent a friend on Sunday to check on Keith, thankfully, because Keith was very ill and needed transport to the hospital. Keith is at Texas Health HEB Hospital. The address is 1600 Hospital Parkway, Bedford, Texas 76022. Call before you drive over to make sure he is still there: 817-848-4000. You can get his room number from the hospital operator. Keith is very weak, and not able to eat or drink much. He was not completely sure what his diagnosis is, so please wear a mask when you visit him. And if you cannot visit, I know your prayers are greatly appreciated by Keith and his family. Let’s keep each other updated on his progress.
Keith is part of our church “home.” He welcomes visitors and tries to meet everyone he can. Keith’s love is unconditional for everyone, and his support is unwavering. Keith is often parked at the sink after a family meal washing dishes as part of the clean-up crew. We are blessed beyond measure that Keith is part of our church family. We are blessed beyond measure to have each other. Thank you for being my church home, the place where I bring my joy and my pain, the place where I can hang my heart. Let’s make 2025 a year of joy!!
Love,
Mary