Dear Rose Park,

As some of you know, next week I’ll gather for my last doctorate intensive at Western Theological Seminary before graduation in May. These past three years have flown by in some sense and dragged in another sense. Yet, it has been a fruitful experiencing diving into the writings of Eugene Peterson. Throughout these three years, I have been so encouraged to get text messages, emails, and voicemails from you all wishing me luck and letting me know I was in your prayers. As I have gratefully received your well-wishes, I am reminded of a picture frame that sits on my desk. 

Dear Rose Park,

There’s something satisfying about an orderly work place or a neatly organized drawer. There’s some satisfying about perfectly straight lines in a freshly mown lawn. I’m not sure how to put it into words but there’s something simply satisfying when everything is in its’ place, when it’s perfectly symmetrical, or when a set is complete. Maybe this is just me, but I doubt it.

Dear Rose Park,

“Angels We Have Heard on High” is one of the most famous songs during the Christmas season. Casting Crowns, Josh Groban, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and even Sarah McLachlan have their own versions of the beloved hymn. Regardless of the version, it is a beautiful hymn that perfectly encapsulates the glory of Christmas while also inviting us to imagine the wonder and excitement of Christ’s birth.

Dear Rose Park,

Tonight at 5:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall we’ll be gathering for dinner around the Family Table for the last time in this calendar year. This will be our 7th time gathering in this semester. We’ve shared conversations over French toast sticks, hot dogs and hamburgers, pizza, and even a concoction called ‘Build a Mountain.’ We’ve invited friends from Escape Ministries and even welcomed guests from Compassionate Heart Ministries. This is all to say, I love gathering around the Family Table with you all. As our leadership looks to the future of the Family Table, we’ve noticed something is missing.

Dear Rose Park,

Last Tuesday night, Sam and I bundled up the kids and went to the Holland light parade. Not only did we attend the parade, but we marched in the parade with our friends from Holland Running Club. I was amazed at how many entries there were in the parade: local businesses, a few churches and non-profit organizations, and dozens of firetrucks, police cars, and ambulances all beautifully decorated for the Christmas season. As we made our way down the parade route and noticed all the children lining the street, something dawned on me yet again…

Dear Rose Park,

During the Advent season, many families have traditions. Some of these traditions may have been passed down from generation to generation. Perhaps it’s singing “Silent Night” with your closest family members on Christmas Eve, decorating the Christmas tree while listening to your favorite carols, or maybe even watching “Home Alone” and laughing at all the scenes you’ve already watched a dozen times. In any case, the rhythm of traditions can be very meaningful during this Advent season. 

Dear Rose Park,

As some of you know, Winnie was sick all last week. Being sick is never fun, but especially for a little girl who was so excited for her 4th birthday. She was sneezing and coughing so much that she couldn’t sleep which means the days were long amid the grumpiness and irritability of a little girl. So, Winnie was my sidekick last week (see the picture below). She came to church and watched shows on my computer. She drank lots of fluids and even snuck a few cookies from the church kitchen. This is all to say, getting sick is never convenient.

Dear Rose Park,

Over the past few weeks I’ve made it a habit to have a bonfire in our backyard. When it was snowing on Halloween, I sat around a fire and passed out candy to our neighborhood kids. When the kids wanted to play in the yard as the sun started to set and the temperature dropped, we warmed our hands up around the fire in between tosses of the football. There’s something very peaceful and even comforting about a bonfire. It might be the sound or smell to cause such peace, but I think it’s mostly due to the fact that a bonfire invites you to pause and be patient. As I sit and stare into the flame, I’m reminded of the many biblical stories where fire plays a prominent role.

Dear Rose Park,

According to a 2018 article from PBS Kids, “Reading aloud to kids has clear cognitive benefits. For example, brain scans show that hearing stories strengthens the part of the brain associated with visual imagery, story comprehension, and word meaning……But reading also strengthens children’s social, emotional, and character development. According to a recently published study, reading to very young children is linked to decreased levels of aggression, hyperactivity, and attention difficulties.” I imagine we all know the importance of reading, but I wonder if we realize not everyone has access to books.

Dear Rose Park,

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.