J is for Joshua. He is 20 this year! He’s had a big year. Seems like he is in the season for big years lately! Last September Josh signed up for the US MARINES in a delayed program. While Josh waited for the call, he worked steadily at Wal-Mart, stocking shelves and giving away smiles…what he does best! Then in April, nearly a month early, he called me from town saying they had called and he was leaving in two hours! SO in a mad rush to get him his things and get him to Huntsville, this was his welcome into the US MARINES. (He has never done things the easy way!) The following 8 months are way too harsh to write about. Sherman and I prayed for him a lot! The things he went through at boot camp, School of Infantry, and his personal training, were weeks of intense break down like he had never known. He also conveyed that he learned lessons that could not have been learned any other way. And that he saw God in ways like never before. So all in all, he was thankful to have gone through what most would consider hell on earth. He ended up, funny enough, selected to (not go to Afghanistan with his buddies) but to go to Washington DC for Ceremonial Drill tour for two years. Though a shock, and so opposite of what he was trained for or expected, he is enjoying the “beni’s” that working right on Capitol Hill offer him. He loves running in the monument areas and all the big city perks (like real cell service—not rotary dial up!!), though he tells me every day on the phone, he misses my cooking and being at home in our old fashioned simple life style. He has many adventures ahead of him. We are just trusting that he will run hard after the things of God wherever God takes him. We are trusting and praying….
E is for Encouragement. As long as it is today…encourage someone in the Lord. It has been humbling to watch God bring forth my dreams of sharing His love to others. Though it has not been without it’s trials, I have learned that each of these hardships have been there to make me more and more compassionate, to love deeper than before and know His comfort in new way. How can I comfort a broken heart without having one, How can I care for the sick without being sick, How can I share the Grace of God without first experiencing His grace in mighty ways? Mountain tops in the mundane….I must experience it before teaching it. The Ripple Effect Conference is taking off slowly but firmly with God taking me and my speaking partner every step of the way. My dream to be a conference speaker and tell others just how AWESOME my Jesus is…is happening! That is very exciting. Along with that I still sit with a friend over a cup of tea, wipe a tear, pray over a crying mother, advise a teen, put together missionary projects, encourage the weary! That is what getting your assignment everyday day looks like. LOTS of life happens around here because God is using His servants to comfort and encourage others…..may you find yourself asking Him for your assignments this next year…I promise He will answer! Trusting and lots of praying…
S is for Samuel. He just turned 22 a few weeks ago!! We praise God for him every day! Boy it seems strange to be writing this letter with a 22 year old! He has had a big year too! He has grown into a wonderful young man! He had been working in a West Tennessee Penitentiary since the January before last. And then last November he switched to working for the Sherriff’s Department in Henderson County as a jailer, hoping of course to move up and eventually into the TBI or the like. But that didn’t happened but instead….there came along a GIRL…and as they say….the rest is history! Now things are different. In considering he needed a better income and his sweet girlfriend lives near where he worked at the penitentiary…guess what he did recently? He went back to his old job. He has brought Laura home several times and we love her! We have much to be thankful for this Thanksliving! Samuel loves Jackson, where he went to Union University and plans to stay around the area. He is currently splitting rent with a school buddy. We pray Sam deepens his love for God. Trusting….lots of praying….
U is for us. Sherman and I celebrated our 29th anniversary this year! We went to New York! It is something we have never done. It was strange for it to only be the three of us. But Zechariah didn’t seem to mind milling around NY with old people (yes we are getting old!!) It was a place like no other. Yes I was inspired to keep my keyboard busy but I have been too busy with volunteer projects to get much writing done…..hummm maybe we will have to go back, I can claim in my old age I forget easily!! But then that would mean outrageous toll fees (like over $100), nearly being run over by taxi drivers and jumping in and out of crammed subways. Oh and be with thousands of non-English speaking tourist and unhappy locals. Germ-X took on new meaning on that trip! BUT we did end the trip with Niagara Falls and that was so beautiful…beyond description. I did write a few blogs on this trip you can check out. We are happy and still very much in love! We took several trips (3) to see Josh. One to each of his schools including his Graduation from Parris Island….which was the first time we saw him in 13 weeks. Then to visit while in SOI and lastly we took him his car for his birthday….while there we went to Arlington Cemetery…..I said as I left…..”I could write in this place!” Sherman crinkled his forehead….and said, “You get inspired in the weirdest places!” Guess who is writing a book about Arlington Cemetery?????
S is for Sherman. He is still working for DIA at Redstone in Huntsville. He still loves his job! His favorite thing at work is to try to tell me (Laura) how to use or fix my wayward computer over the telephone!! Ugh! A patient man! He did go to Australia this past February and he loved it! The pictures were cute of the kangas! He still enjoys cutting wood for our heater every year, only he can barely walk afterwards! He’s been riding his bike a lot more this year and at times we do it as a family! AND he has even started running a bit….who knows he might outrun us all yet! He still teaches Sunday School and helps with the youth. He still blogs so if you are a computer person, check out his articles. You are sure to be challenged and encouraged to walk more humbly with God. But mostly he spends time with his boys and Laura. Those are his favorite things! He has our house up for sale…..gas prices and fewer kids at home has us looking at moving closer to his work. Trusting and lots of praying...
I is for Internet. I am trying my best to stay up with the electronic “times”. We are ALL on Facebook. If you are, PLEASE Friend me (us). A great way to stay in touch. Also you can take a peek at our hearts by way of our blogs…..
www.The-Weekly-Thread.blogspot.com (Laura) *
www.TNThoughts.blogspot.com (Sherman)
www.laurawiggin.tateauthor.com Laura’s Book (The Bus Ride) web page. You can also go to her book email, etsy store & blog spot from there….love for you to leave a response! Contact her for speaking engagements and testimony sharing opportunities!
www.therippleffects.com is Laura’s conference website
www.rockwithjosh.com Joshua’s web page
wavesofgracehome@gmail.com (our regular email address) send us your updated email please!
105 Raby Hollow Rd (our mailing address if you wanna send us some snail mail….we still check our mailbox!!) Fayetteville, TN 37334
(931) 759-6855 (old fashioned phone number)
Z is for Zechariah. He turned 16 this year! He is growing up fast! A handsome young man! He has kept his curls GONE! He is doing great in school, now in the 11th grade. Zech is built like a football player, big broad across the shoulders and strong. His favorite team is Alabama. He keeps up with the team as much as possible. He has been training faithfully. In Sept. he ran a “sprint” triathlon, his first. He did great in all three areas, swimming, biking and running. He was toast after that but it was a great experience and he wants to do it again. He also ran a few 5 Ks too. He has slimmed down in all his training….Hummmm….makes me think he is getting ready for this thing called GIRLS! He loves to collect knives and throw the football around. Daisy the wild & hyper lab puppy, now fully grown….keeps us on our toes. We call her the bullet dog for a reason. When we let her off her line….she runs like a bullet train all over the place! She is adorable but we still have not managed to get her back into the house! Zech still aggravates Stryper (the cat). He consumes books like candy (sometimes both at once!!). He has his permit and is ready to get his license…but we are not! Trusting and praying….
L is for Laura. Laura’s big news is that her 3rd book A Season of Rebuilding (in A Season for Everything Series) came out this year! If you did not get her second book called The Beat of My Heart! You still can, just let her know. If you loved Peter and Lilly in the first one, The Bus Ride. You got to see them in the second one! It has many of our California memories and favorite sightseeing places all mixed into a fabulous story of Hope! The journey has been an absolute humbling experience seemingly all in one big blur! It all happened so fast and still continues to keep her buzzing to different interviews, book signings and speaking engagements and conferences. But if I were to say,…this is so Laura….certainly all her card making years were preparing her for this moment in time! She still loves to make cards, as she is an encourager at heart. But writing is her passion and love. This new work is a fiction book about the tornadoes that ripped through southern Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. It is intriguing all the while inspiring collection of 5 short stories that anyone can relate too. She has been told by those who have read it….that it is of the same quality as The Bus Ride….tender, inspiring and full of encouragement and Hope! You can get Laura’s books at Amazon, bookstores and from her as well. Just let her know and she can get them out to you. They are still only $20 a great author discount. I have had several young kids ask me “Are you famous?” I reply “me, naw, the only difference between you and me is a page! We all have a story; just some of us write it down.” It has been an awesome journey! She has started yet another series called Foster Friends! She has already begun! Oh and she ran her first 5K this year! Trusting and praying…..
O is for Others. It seems to be the year for extended family sickness, cancers and surgeries. It only reminds me to value today all the more. Our every breath is a gift from God….use that gift for His glory and your heart will be full of joy no matter the suffering around you. We lost my sweet aunt Bobbie last year and that was hard too. I think of her often. Trusting and lots of praying……
R is for Read. Of course we encourage you r to take a stroll through our blogs, some are quite funny! And also a new friend and blogger, my speaking partner Jessica www.AwakenedAnew.com And of course I wish everyone to read my books! However, even as an author, I must still encourage you to read God’s love letter to you. My prayer for you this year is that you come to a place of craving…where you crave the Word of God! Trusting and praying…..
D is for Drop In. WE LOVE COMPANY! We made all the visits this year. We loved the visits to family as well as our visit to the Wellman’s and the Brown’s and we are going to see the Jessee’s soon. So come on over and sit a spell with us! If I am going to “spend” time…I’d rather spend it with you! So come on by…the rockers are on the porch! And ice tea is in the fridge! Hope to see you this year!
If you have followed our lives for any length of time, you know I can never just “cut and paste” from year to year! Way too much happens. Every year I say I am going to start my Christmas cards and letter in January so I am not so rushed to get them out by the end of the year. Before I could act on that idea it was December again! Not to mention, so much happens on a daily basis, I would short change my readers!
(Though I was tempted as fast as this year went by to just put 2014 on my letter and cards and send them out “early” for next year and skip this one, because time just goes so fast!)
With love---
The Wiggin Family--- Sherman, Laura, Samuel, Joshua, Zechariah
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