During down time in December, between semesters,
it was a good time to organize a disorganized address list and send out
loads of Christmas greetings.
I hope you got our "California Creasmans" little post card!
If you haven't heard from us in awhile, Hello!
Did you know we're back in USA this year?
If that's a surprise to you, write me back, and I'll fill you in.
If you'd rather not be on another mailing list, let me know,and I'll take you off.
Even though we're already to the middle of January, it's still not too late for reflecting on 2007, or making some resolutions. I usually stay in a reflective mood for all of January! Then by the time CHINESE New Year rolls around, I'm ready to dive into a new year! I've posted questions and ideas I like to use every year, and if you type yours up, post them as a comment. You'll inspire others (even if you post anonymously!)
Our January HIGHLIGHTS
2- After watching the NEW YEAR'S Parade LIVE, we spent the next day at a large retirement center delivering left-over Rose Parade flowers to all the residents. A really wonderful and enriching family activity to visit and pray with many of the seniors we met going door to door.
6 - Cameron met his birthmother Crystal. We had a wonderful afternoon with his special extended family at a Chuck E. Cheese. Though he'd met his twin siblings, aunt, cousin and grandmother before, he'd never met Crystal. Both were really nervous! Thank you Lord for this son of all of ours. I pray you bless his birth-family as they follow you.
7 - The 3 boys were back to school, while Kimberly headed south for the first "Seasoned Sisters" gathering of female friends in LA's South Bay. We'll meet once a month to pray together, and discuss chapters from Fabulous After 40 by Pam Farrel. Next meeting: February 8th. Lord, thank you for the way you designed fellowship. We need one another!
"As for the saints who are in the land, they are the glorious ones in whom is all my delight." -Psalm 16:3
8 - Kimberly is sore from her first dance class the day before. She's finally making good on a life-long New Year's resolution and dancing through interterm 2 hours a day! I've enjoyed taking theatre classes last term and being around younger students. I'm still undecided about what I'll take in the Spring. Thank you Lord for the opportunity to do this thing I've always dreamed of doing! It's really fun! Give me insight about which spring classes would benefit me most.
12 - Tyler turned 15 and for the first time since his 4th birthday, we celebrated with both sets of grandparents. We watched videos of early birthdays, including a couple in China and Singapore. How fast they grow!
and still to come in January...
Both boys are excited about attending Winter Camps. Starting this weekend, between them, the boys will venture out of the nest for 5 weekends in a row! Tyler will join the kids from EV Free this weekend, has an outing to Joshua Tree with Adventure Club from school, and last the infamous Winter Camp for RHCC. Cameron plans to go with Preteens from Lake, and the RHCC Junior Camp after that. It will be Cameron's first time going to camp! Tyler has really loved going to Wednesday Impact Groups at RHCC. It's the highlight of his week! Thank you Lord for this full year of adventures for our boys, and thanks for some scholarships to help provide the funds! Thank you for the Impact Group of older guys who've drawn this Freshman missionary kid into their circle.
24-26 International Worship Symposium (in Pasadena). Kimberly got a digital voice recorder for Christmas. If you know me well, you know that some call me the "Queen of really useful gadgets." My inspiration for 2008 is to start podcasting interviews with influential Christians in Theatre. This past year I ardently followed the podcasts from Downstage Centre and American Theatre Wing (weekly interviews with an artist on Broadway). I knew God was stirring something in my heart besides the joy of having this "insider" sense of personal mentoring in the area of theatre arts. Lord thank you for this year in USA where I have a chance this year to meet up personally with some Christians I really respect in theatre. Thank you for the inspiration to start a kind of pod-mentoring for Christians who are passionate about performing arts. I pray that my first one during this conference will get me off to a good start. Isn't that exciting?
Coming in February we do a little tag-team traveling:
February 14-23
Jim travels to Singapore and Dale Burke, Senior Pastor of EV Free Fullerton joins him for 3 days of CRM events (an introduction to a weeklong visit planned in Feb 2009). EV Free is the church where Jim got saved and first began pastoring. Dale's passion beyond his great pulpit ministry and leading the church in Orange County, is to help pastors around the world "lead and still have a life." He will be a great encouragement to Christian leaders, will be a terrific boost to the visibility and credibility of CRM Singapore, and through his teaching will promote our core values spiritual and character growth. While there, Jim will have the opportunity to spend time with his CRM staff who have been advancing this mentoring ministry in his absence.
February 25-March 6
Kimberly has been invited to teach in a Drama Conference in Cairo, Egypt! (AWEMA, Feb 25-March
with 6). I'll be teaching alongside people I've known of and respected in CITA (Christians in Theatre Arts) Julisa Rowe the organizer teaches theatre at Daystar Univeristy in Kenya (pray for Kenya!), Chuck Neighbors who's made a career of using theatre as ministry, and Mark Eaton who has an MFA in scriptwriting). I'll be teaching a track on Acting, Playback Theatre and Enacted Prayer. PLUS, a dear Singaporean freind, Leezibet Heinz-Raiden (former Mslm and theatre practitioner) is now stationed in Dubai as tentmaker. She's going to hop over to Cairo to teach the technical theatre track! So I'll get to be with her too! Thank you Lord for this dear sister. I am humbled that she calls me a "spiritual mentor" when she has been such an inspiration to me. Thank you that when I was worried about the cost, this generous sister offered support for more than 1/2 my trip!
Until next month, we pray that you are joyfully jumping into the new year.
Kimberly, Jim, Tyler & Cameron
P.S. The article copied at the bottom of our November email "Meditation on Proverbs 3" really struck a chord with so many friends who were feeling in similar circumstances. An overwhelming 65 of you personally responded! With that kind of encouragement, it reminded me of 1 Peter 5:8,9 (NIV)
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith,
because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."
EV Free Fullerton printed it in their December newsletter. If you missed it, here is the online version in a pdf file:
Contact info:
jim@worldcreasmans.com, 626 688 1578
tyler@worldcreasmans.com 626 584 9076
Kimberly@worldcreasmans.com: 626 688 1581
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