Doubled Joy!

Each New Year's our family REALLY celebrates. No, the change from one calendar year to the next doesn't set our hearts to dancing. The reason for the doubled joy is that on January 1 each year we're privileged to rejoice over God's gift of TWINS. This year John and Alison turned 24.

I love the look on John's face here. He and Alison became best friends before their births. They have been the most remarkable cheering section for each other. Their relationship is just what you would hope of twins. Since Alison married Eric, John and Eric have developed and invested in a close friendship. In addition, John is a favorite uncle of Eric and Alison's little guy, William. John is eagerly awaiting the birth of his twin's first daughter.

We were informed, after untold testing and medication, that I would NEVER get pregnant. As a result of that never, our joy at having TWINS is to the sun and back. Our gratitude to God for the miracle of John and Alison is limitless. The Lord has shown us great kindness.

Yielding = Joy

Mrs. Beaver:

One of things Mr. Beaver and I have observed in our daughter, Jaynie, as she lives and serves in a Muslim culture in a central Asian country is a blossoming of deep joy in her life.

This week I moved a number of books in our home, and as I did so I ran across a quote I'd underlined 11 years ago. At that time the two of us were in the throes of wrestling with the decision of whether to adopt three older siblings from Russia, Jaynie, Cassandra and Mark:

"When we trust God and exercise our faith, then we can yield ourselves completely and experience the by-product of joy. The ability to surrender our whole selves to God with complete trust and childlike faith is the key to possessing the abundant life filled with the fruit and gift of the joy of the Lord." (Lindsey O'Connor, If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy, 115)