Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Becky and I have had quite a year. The year of 2010 was good to us. We spent most of our year here, in Lithuania, but we were fortunate enough to head back home for just over two months in the summer. To look back on a year from abroad is different than looking back from home. The sting of physical distance between family, friends, and ourselves is more present the greater that distance grows, and it makes us stop and reflect on our life here, together. And when we do, we see our blessings rise as if from sightlessness to sight (W.B.).

This past year Becky came into more familiarity with her job as an RD. She was able to get more of a routine with her work, so that she could invest more relationally with her students. She spent many hours this year sitting and listening to students share about her life, whether that was in her office or in our home over tea. She has quite an open ear for all those who are willing to share, and, as I’m sure you know, she is pretty good at talking too, so those students got to learn about her as well. I have watched her grow through the difficult aspects of being here also. She has been a light of caring, patience, and love to all those that surround her. That is one of the reason’s why I fell in love with her, and to see her grow even more in that regard is beautiful. I have learned much about selflessness and giving from her this past year. She is becoming an even better woman than the one I first met almost 5 years ago, and I am honored to have her as my wife.

I spent most of my 2010 days getting tossed between some sort of abstract wonder and real life. From attending classes and reading an accessive amount theology and philosophy, I would return to earth by trying to join in around the community here wherever I could be of use. I loved helping out in the seasonal events like community day, ugly duckling cup, oktober fest, or the Christmas pageant. And sometimes I was able to work with local high schoolers here on campus, or visit an elementary school and presenting about where I come from. I look forward to graduating this spring and finding out where our next steps will be.

Aside from our work here at LCC, we spent much of our last year around a table, eating or drinking with friends. We have many people here who have shown us much love, and three scenarios stand out the most. One is on our Sundays mornings. We often meet the Kaethlers, Andrew, Alene and their two little girls, for breakfast. Usually we are slow to rise and slow to leave, so it turns more into brunch, and we love those mornings. It is great to have friends who we feel so at home around, and who let us enter their lives so freely. Another scenario is our Friday morning Celebration Breakfasts, where we gather with 5-20 people in our home to share about the past week. Doing that breakfast has tied many of us closely together and has been a highlight of our time here, getting to learn about one another and share in what we have seen God do here. Lastly, our friend Vaida and her family will not be forgotten when looking back at this year. She is a Lithuanian co-worker of Becky’s, who has become more like family through opening her house and home to us over this past year. Her, and her family’s care and affection has made this year so valuable for us. We have spent many evenings speaking broken Lithuanian around her table, in her sauna, or celebrating a holiday with her family. We are so thankful for her.

And the final piece of this past year that we will share is about our cherished summer months back home. There was nothing more needed than time to see family and friends. We crammed in all that we humanly could, squeezing every day for what it was worth. We worked some and met up much. We got to join in with our family and friends' lives, going to cabins, meeting up for meals, hosting races, building things, and worshiping together. We did fewer things than we normally would be able to in an entire summer, but we felt like we were able to see our family and friends enough to be recharged. No matter how much time we had, it did not quite seem like enough on the day we had to leave. We miss you all, and look forward to late May, when we return home.

We wish the best for everyone this next year. We pray that your Christmas was filled with hope and joy, and that the New Year will treat you kindly.

The Johnsons