December 2013 Letter
Please skip this if you already got one in your church mailbox. You certainly have my blessing for skipping it for a variety of other reasons also. It's not funny or even very chipper. It's real, though, and I prize honesty above image-making. I have redacted several details for this online version.
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Dear Family and Friends,
At the birth of Jesus, the herald-singing angels proclaimed peace on earth and good will toward men. As Jesus is being born in us, we experience peace, and are able to extend and receive good will, and yet we yearn for a time when peace and good will don’t come with such difficulty, and our praise can be offered in a form other than lament. After some comments about the song “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” Ravi Zacharias wrote the following:
“I would be remiss if I didn’t say that for some, this has also been a year of the loss of a loved one who left time to enter eternity. I know that because some were very dear friends to me. I already miss them. May our Lord cushion that blow till we enter his presence when He will shine a new light and those losses will be seen as precious treasures, yea, the ultimate heralds that make up the City of God.”
We’re still grieving many separations during the past year. Through death, we were separated from Anja Miller, Marian Yoder, and Sheldon Martin, and others. Marian, especially, was a dear personal friend, and we miss her a great deal. Geography separates us from others dear to us. In yet another kind of separation, distance exists because of personal choices. In the process of downsizing in order to fit our belongings into a smaller house again, we are parting with many things we hate to part with. They’re only things, of course, but separations nonetheless. Experiencing the pain of all these separations makes Emmanuel (God with us) more precious than ever. He will never leave us.
After having experienced severe drought last year, we had some wonderful, timely rains this summer, although part of the summer was very hot and dry. Our hopes rose right along with all those green and growing things responding to the moisture.
Transition was one of the major themes of our family’s experiences this year. Each of the Iwashige families moved in 2013. Now, at the end of the year, Hiromi and I are living again in the house west of Partridge, where we first moved to in 1984. J and his family live in Bangladesh, Shane and his family live on the farm north of Partridge where I grew up and where Shane spent the last years of his childhood, and Grant and his wife live about a mile southwest of Partridge in a house on a small acreage they purchased this spring. Because of moving, we did not plant a market garden this year.
Our grandchildren are a delight to us. Carson was born to Shane and Dorcas in August, and Grant and Clarissa are expecting a son in January. Tristan (Shane and Dorcas) turned two in October, and Arwen (J and H) turned one in November. Another grandchild (J and H) is expected next summer.
Hiromi is still working his retirement job as a cashier at Wal-Mart. I am in year 10 of teaching at Pilgrim Christian High School. J and H are still busy studying Bangla, after which J will work again as a software programmer. Shane is working in concrete construction, direct-marketing beef and pork produced on his small farm, and managing rental properties. Grant works for Jared Oatney in farming and in a vehicle dealership.
My parents are still able to attend church regularly. My sister Linda provides a lot of help with personal care for Mom, and with cooking for both of them. Others of us have begun providing meals on a regular schedule as well. Dad feels well and has recovered remarkably from his cancer surgery over a year ago.
The sibling migration back to Kansas continues. I love it! In the past year, Anthony moved here from Virginia, and Dorcas’ family has begun making plans to move here as soon as their house sells in North Carolina. That will still leave Caleb in PA and Clara in OH, away from Kansas. Carol and Ronald live in eastern Kansas, 3-4 hours away from here. Besides those already mentioned, Myron, Lowell, and Lois live nearby with their families. Marcus’ home base is also here in Reno County.
Caleb and his wife Kara, and Carol and her husband Roberto are expecting grandchildren early next year. That will make seven great-grandchildren for my parents by next summer, if all goes well.
Clara’s husband, Matthew, has recently been diagnosed with cancer. We invite others to pray with us for him and Clara and their family.
Our church community rejoiced at having been able to purchase the “Elreka” school building where many of us attended. In the future, Pilgrim Christian High School and Grade School will be combined there.
Thank you for how your friendship enriches our lives. We wish you well in the coming year, and desire to be together with each of you one day, in the presence of “new light” and “precious treasures,” as “ultimate heralds that make up the City of God.”
Sincerely,
Hiromi and Miriam Iwashige, by Miriam
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Dear Family and Friends,
At the birth of Jesus, the herald-singing angels proclaimed peace on earth and good will toward men. As Jesus is being born in us, we experience peace, and are able to extend and receive good will, and yet we yearn for a time when peace and good will don’t come with such difficulty, and our praise can be offered in a form other than lament. After some comments about the song “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” Ravi Zacharias wrote the following:
“I would be remiss if I didn’t say that for some, this has also been a year of the loss of a loved one who left time to enter eternity. I know that because some were very dear friends to me. I already miss them. May our Lord cushion that blow till we enter his presence when He will shine a new light and those losses will be seen as precious treasures, yea, the ultimate heralds that make up the City of God.”
We’re still grieving many separations during the past year. Through death, we were separated from Anja Miller, Marian Yoder, and Sheldon Martin, and others. Marian, especially, was a dear personal friend, and we miss her a great deal. Geography separates us from others dear to us. In yet another kind of separation, distance exists because of personal choices. In the process of downsizing in order to fit our belongings into a smaller house again, we are parting with many things we hate to part with. They’re only things, of course, but separations nonetheless. Experiencing the pain of all these separations makes Emmanuel (God with us) more precious than ever. He will never leave us.
After having experienced severe drought last year, we had some wonderful, timely rains this summer, although part of the summer was very hot and dry. Our hopes rose right along with all those green and growing things responding to the moisture.
Transition was one of the major themes of our family’s experiences this year. Each of the Iwashige families moved in 2013. Now, at the end of the year, Hiromi and I are living again in the house west of Partridge, where we first moved to in 1984. J and his family live in Bangladesh, Shane and his family live on the farm north of Partridge where I grew up and where Shane spent the last years of his childhood, and Grant and his wife live about a mile southwest of Partridge in a house on a small acreage they purchased this spring. Because of moving, we did not plant a market garden this year.
Our grandchildren are a delight to us. Carson was born to Shane and Dorcas in August, and Grant and Clarissa are expecting a son in January. Tristan (Shane and Dorcas) turned two in October, and Arwen (J and H) turned one in November. Another grandchild (J and H) is expected next summer.
Hiromi is still working his retirement job as a cashier at Wal-Mart. I am in year 10 of teaching at Pilgrim Christian High School. J and H are still busy studying Bangla, after which J will work again as a software programmer. Shane is working in concrete construction, direct-marketing beef and pork produced on his small farm, and managing rental properties. Grant works for Jared Oatney in farming and in a vehicle dealership.
My parents are still able to attend church regularly. My sister Linda provides a lot of help with personal care for Mom, and with cooking for both of them. Others of us have begun providing meals on a regular schedule as well. Dad feels well and has recovered remarkably from his cancer surgery over a year ago.
The sibling migration back to Kansas continues. I love it! In the past year, Anthony moved here from Virginia, and Dorcas’ family has begun making plans to move here as soon as their house sells in North Carolina. That will still leave Caleb in PA and Clara in OH, away from Kansas. Carol and Ronald live in eastern Kansas, 3-4 hours away from here. Besides those already mentioned, Myron, Lowell, and Lois live nearby with their families. Marcus’ home base is also here in Reno County.
Caleb and his wife Kara, and Carol and her husband Roberto are expecting grandchildren early next year. That will make seven great-grandchildren for my parents by next summer, if all goes well.
Clara’s husband, Matthew, has recently been diagnosed with cancer. We invite others to pray with us for him and Clara and their family.
Our church community rejoiced at having been able to purchase the “Elreka” school building where many of us attended. In the future, Pilgrim Christian High School and Grade School will be combined there.
Thank you for how your friendship enriches our lives. We wish you well in the coming year, and desire to be together with each of you one day, in the presence of “new light” and “precious treasures,” as “ultimate heralds that make up the City of God.”
Sincerely,
Hiromi and Miriam Iwashige, by Miriam
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6:21 PM
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