Dear Family & Friends,
How did it get to be December already?! Must be “time flies when you’re having fun”!
As usual, we keep active in local church events – we meet with 2 different life groups for Bible study and good meals. I also participate in 2 ladies’ groups – crafts and book study. We try to get to YMCA classes 4 mornings each week and I spend one afternoon each week doing the bookkeeping for a small church not far from our home church.
Dan is in his 3rd year as District Missions (NMI) President for the Illinois District (southern 2/3 of Illinois) for the Church of the Nazarene while occasionally helping with tech needs in the district and global NMI. We had the privilege of hosting missionaries from Portugal for the month of April, taking them to speaking engagements and showing off our St. Louis region landmarks – the Gateway Arch and Ted Drewes Frozen Custard! We also traveled to a small town to observe an incredible total eclipse. We also hosted our Ethiopian friends who are missionaries serving in east Africa in September. Sometimes we keep a friend or some Nazarene missionaries for a weekend too. So many wonderful memories with these wonderful people we have had the privilege to work with.
Son Darin had cardiac stents inserted in February, so we drove to North Carolina to spend a few days with him. Derick has been living in and working from Pennsylvania while recovering from a fall from a friend’s roof late last year. He is anticipating a new full-time job in South Carolina in the new year. Adam and his wife Dana continue to live in Peoria, IL. Dan had cataract surgery and new glasses – he’s amazed at how bright and clear things are now! He’s been getting physical therapy on one shoulder and we both work through the usual aches and pains from getting older.
We’ve seen several excellent Christian films this year, along with JoyFM’s contemporary Christian concerts in February. Several productions at The Muny were on our summer calendar as well but we only made it to one St. Louis Cardinals game (hoping for a better season in 2025!).
Erica visited for Mother’s Day and we got to spend a weekend with her in Columbus after she moved into a new apartment. She had a rough year – there was a fire in the home where she was living and her father passed away a month later. She loves her job with pharmacy residents at The Ohio State University and she is told that she’s an asset to the department! She’s coming for Christmas too!
Since they live just 30 minutes away, we get to spend time with Monica and husband Shannon over birthday and holiday meals – they’re busy with their jobs and running and camping. Her son Dylan is in Marine Corps boot camp in California; we’ll get to celebrate the holidays with him the end of January after his graduation!
Marcy and fiancé George visited just before Thanksgiving – in their full-sized bus-turned-camper! And they treated us to a clam boil that they brought from Massachusetts.
Gotta put together some cookie dough for our church’s Christmas cookie exchange, right after I find our “ugly sweaters” for another event!
God has blessed us this year with so many wonderful people and experiences as we try to navigate this ‘Stage of Life’! We’d love to hear back how He’s working in your life!
Wishing you many blessings in 2025!
Dan & Janet Reinhart
