Dear Friends,
In a year that has been marked by dissension, negativity, and downright nastiness in our effort to elect a new president, we are more than ready to take a deep breath and turn our minds and hearts toward the Prince of Peace. Families and friends, including ours, have been divided over politics. No matter what side of the political fence you stand on, the need to step back is there. The election is over. The new year will tell us whether or not our choice is a good one. It’s Christmas again. Let us bring love, hope, peace and celebration back into our homes and our lives.
The Camerinos have increased by one more great-grandchild. A beautiful little girl, Claire, was born to Jordan and Samantha on April 1st. She joins Dillon and Carolyn’s bright and happy son, Brantley, who makes all of us smile.
Our granddaughter, Christina, will marry Cristian Araujo on February 11, 2017. We are looking forward to another happy occasion. Ken and Tracey’s other ‘kids’ (Thomas, Victoria, Olivia, Damien and Joseph) are doing well. Some are working, some are concentrating on school. Our youngest grandchild, Gabriel, is receiving good care and lots of love from family. His journey will be a difficult one, but being surrounded by love helps a lot.
Chris and Kelly are continuing in their work in two different school districts – Chris, assistant principal at The Woodlands High School ninth-grade campus, and Kelly teaching math at Klein Oak high school. Kennedy, their younger daughter has just graduated from nursing school and will begin her job at Willowbrook Methodist Hospital soon. Meanwhile, Kirby and Stephen Whitworth began 2016 by spending several months in New York City, leaving Texas behind for a new adventure. They had a wonderful time, but have returned to the Houston area and are waiting to get back into their house. They had leased it when they left for NYC. Kirby has decided to follow in Kelly’s footsteps and work toward accreditation to teach math.
Deb and Frank are doing well in the San Antonio area. She is branch manager of a different library these days and is finding the change very positive. Frank continues to teach math at a local community college. Their menagerie ebbs and flows with time, but the head count is still high. We meet fairly often midway between their place and ours either in LaGrange or Schulenburg – huge metropolises as you can imagine.
Meanwhile the old folks are feeling the occasional pangs of being in our eighties, but for the most part we are in semi-fine fettle. Pat continues to facilitate two courses here at Eagle’s Trace and pitches in from time to time to teach courses at parishes and to preach now and then at our interdenominational service here. Karen is still volunteering at Brookwood (community for functionally disabled adults)
and is prayer lady for The Community of Hope group at Eagle’s Trace. International travel is over for us, but the years of feasting our eyes on Europe and the Holy Land have left us eternally grateful.
Have a blessed Christmas, everyone!
His Father’s Eyes
“He has his father’s eyes”.
Mary smiled to herself as her neighbor left.
“He has his father’s eyes”.
Not Joseph’s eyes as the woman thought – his FATHER’S eyes.
Jesus’ eyes were loving, deep, piercing, and wise beyond his infancy.
Those eyes had welcomed shepherds and captivated magi.
They had won Joseph’s heart as well as her own.
“He has his father’s eyes – God’s eyes”, she thought.
Mary’s eyes met his often through the years.
She saw his love for children
– his forgiveness of sinners
– his compassion for the lost and lonely
– all reflected in those wonderful eyes.
Those eyes embraced his disciples and understood his betrayer.
Finally, Mary looked up into his eyes once more and saw the weariness and pain
– the love he felt for her
– his forgiveness of those who had condemned him
– and his readiness to let his father take him.
“Yes, he has always had his father’s eyes”, she murmured through her tears.
Karen Camerino, 2016