A Christmas Reflection

It's early Sunday morning here, on Boxing Day -- 26 December 2004 -- and I've just spent almost three hours browsing an extraordinary gift received yesterday. I couldn't begin to estimate how many hours were devoted to it, but I have the result and it's overwhelming.

Lynne presented each of us with a CD-ROM of family photos taken over the past 37 years. Not every photo, but more than 2,000 of them, all scanned, cropped and catalogued for easy access.

Talk about a labour of love.

To be able to re-visit memories of my wife, children and grandchildren, at all of the different stages of their lives, is literally priceless, and I want to go on public record with my profound appreciation to Lynne for this precious gift. I'll treasure it for the rest of my life.

I just wrote a thank you note to Marnie, my eldest daughter, who hosted the rest of the immediate family for the day, with David and Ainsley and Nadia. As my first child, she holds a very special place in my heart, and embodies the Lord's promise of "joy in your posterity" for me. Each of my five children occupies an unique place, naturally, but my memories of Marnie are longer as a matter of course. She's been part of the family for longer than any of the kids.

Photos taken during the day will be posted in the family photo album at http://www.counselfamily.org/album in a day or two, as soon as I have them.

It's such a joy to have a family to love. It's even nicer when they're so easy to love. :)

I hope your Christmas was as happy and joy-filled as mine.