Subject: [GallyClass66] Christmas Letter

Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2000 22:29:47 EST

To: [email protected]

Greetings for the year 2000:

For those of you who have email, we decided to do something different. Send you a Christmas letter greetings by way of Email! Snail mail is sooooo slow! I can't believe a year has gone by since last Christmas. How swiftly the time flies!

This year has seen numerous events both good and bad. However, first we want to say that no matter what has or will happen, we thank God for our Salvation and know that someday soon we will be in our Heavenly home.

Praise the Lord first for Him guiding us to a good doctor who operated on John's eyes by removing the cataracts and inserting in artificial lens. And, yes, I can also praise the Lord for losing my job as He has something better in mind. (There was a budget cut; the senior teacher took over as well as having my students put in the mainstream school). I will admit this was hard! Since June, I have not found a job and I am still looking. Right now I am tutoring 2 students at 2 different schools. This small job is better than nothing! Pray that a good job will be found soon!

John's health had been serious as we thought he was having heart problems. So after many tests for the heart and lungs, we discovered he has Sleep Apnea. This is a serious condition with symptoms like a heart attack and can lead to strokes. What happens is that John would fall asleep without warning! Even when driving!! So by using a mask with forced air, he is finally getting the sleep his body needed and slowly getting the energy back and not falling asleep so easily. He will have to use this mask at night-time and during naps for the rest of his life! We Thank the Lord for helping the doctors find this problem!

All of our daughters are having unusual adventure(s). Joy has determined that when she graduates from Montana State University, she will attend a Chef school in New England. She has finally found the area of study -cooking in a restaurant that she would like to do for the next 10 (?) years. Grace fell in love with a very handsome native of Bali, one of the Indonesian Islands. Wedding bells might ring in about 1-2 years. Ruth returned from her 6 months study abroad in Australia. We had a surprise visit on Dec. 6 through 13 from Ruth. What a sweet and short visit it was! Both Joy and Ruth (she will graduate from Albion College in Albion, MI) will graduate this coming May 12th! We have to decide who will attend Joy's or Ruth's graduation as we can't attend both! John and I have not yet decided how we are going to do this!

We would like to close with an invitation to our friends who do not know our Savior, Jesus Christ. "For God so loved the World that he gave His only begotten Son, so whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have ever lasting life" John 3:16. This is one of the most famous Bible verse. All we have to do is believe on Jesus, it is a precious gift that God gave us, not through works, not through living a clean life, but a wonderful gift. Let's review God's plan: Romans 9:10-13 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." We hope that you will take the time right now to ask Jesus to come into your hearts and save you. If you have done this then, May the Spirit of the Lord fill you with Joy at the wondrous gift that Jesus gave us!

May you, your family, and friends have a wonderful holiday.

Your friends in Christ, John, Jonelle, Grace, Ruth and Joy Vargo