January
2003
Dear
family and friends,
Do
you remember not getting a letter from me last year?? IF you do, you were probably
wondering if this year you wouldn't hear from me again!! But, here I am and
here it is!! I am sure part of my reason for doing an after Christmas letter
was that I could put it off a little longer. Actually, this letter is my third attempt
this month as I just didn't like the way the other two “epistles” flowed.
So, how shall I go about
reviewing my year for you? I think I will recall those events that come to
mind when I think of 2002. I will try to recall them in order of significance. That would start with a long awaited trip to Holland in June and July with
my sister, Joyce. It was a special trip for many reasons. Joyce was diagnosed
with breast cancer earlier in the year and was undergoing radiation therapy
that was interrupted by the trip. I was really wondering whether or not we
would be able to go and we did purchase cancellation insurance for that
reason. We could have gone in 2003, but 2002 was the anniversary of our CA
cousins' immigration to the US. They were planning a Volbeda reunion in Sneek
and we certainly wanted the chance to be with close and extended Volbedas. It
was great to be in a banquet room with about 120 people, all of whom had at
least some Volbeda blood running in them. It was also great to spend time with
cousins on my mom's side and to see my 83 year old aunt for a few days. All in
all, we had a great time. Holland is such a beautiful, picturesque country,
especially as we spent quite a bit of time driving the narrow country roads.
So, the 18 day trip went
great, but five days after we arrived back in CA, Joyce's life was turned
upside down. Her husband, John, died of an alcohol related disease. It was too
soon after such a wonderful trip and yet not totally unexpected. Joyce is
coming to grips with all that his life and death means to her, and it is not
easy for her. Her son, John Paul, who just turned 18, and her daughters have
been a great support to her. So, another untimely death in our family. We
have had our share of those and it is hard for me to watch my sister grieve
more than just the death of her husband. Physically she is feeling good and I
have been so thankful that she and I have become so much closer the last few
years. Both of our husbands have died and we are also both Catholic. (This is
a lead in to my next event.)
Yes, I
was confirmed in the Catholic Church this past Easter. As you might realize,
telling this story would make this letter much too long, so I will just say
that this was not an easy decision for me by any means, yet I knew that this is
what God wanted for me. During the process, I often felt like Jacob wrestling
with God. Even these past weeks as I have been worshipping with my four kids
both in the CRC and the Catholic Church, I realize that I still don't
understand why God has brought me to this place in my life while at the same
time I’m totally convinced that this is where I need to be. For those of you with
whom I haven't been in touch for the last two years, this news might be
startling but I am very willing to write you more of the details. It is
actually good for me to again recount how these events unfolded that brought me
to this decision.
The
comment about worshipping with my kids in two churches?? Yes, they were all
here for a week at Christmas. What a treat for me!!! I treasured every minute
of our time together. And actually, when Jon and Deb leave this Friday, they
will have been here for more than a month!! They are using my house for R
& R. Deb graduated from Calvin with an M.A. in education and in June they
both quit their jobs to take a year off. They lived frugally and saved after
getting married two years ago to be able to do this. They spent the summer in
B.C., Canada, backpacking for six weeks, then drove to Redlands and were with
me for a weekend before I put them on a plane to SE Asia with their bikes and
bike gear. They met up with friends, who had been living in Japan, and
"biked" 4½ months through Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and
Cambodia. Again, too much to tell, so if you are interested, they have a
website: Vrienduinen.tripod.com (no www). They will drive from here to
Atlanta, Georgia and volunteer at the Open Door Community, a homeless shelter,
for three months. Then they will drive to Canada and spend a month with Deb's
family, so they can gaze at the adventurers. After that they plan to settle
down in Holland, MI. and live a "normal" life. I am so blessed to be
the parent of a couple who are committed to discovering God's will and way for
their lives and then striving to live out of those convictions.
And I am no less proud of Laura
and Jason. My second visit to Michigan was in May to attend Laura's graduation
from Wayne State with a M.A. is Speech Pathology. She is now working at a
nursing home in the Ann Arbor area and I sometimes tell her she has inherited
her dad's heart in her ability to relate to the older generation. Jason
continues his studies at the U of M and is very committed to them. Both Laura
and Jason have a servant's heart and live out their love for the Lord and those
He puts in their path.
I did go
back to MI again in August for a visit. Are you asking the question??? No, I
am not moving to Michigan any time in the near future. There are no grandkids
yet, and then the "no" might be a little more difficult for me to
say. Redlands is home. Today it was in the 80s with beautiful clear skies and a
gorgeous sunset. I know what "purple mountains majesties" look
like!! OK, so today was a perfect day, but my life here is blessed with a cozy
home (come and visit anytime !) good friends and a great job.
What
else?? A five day road trip to Bozeman, Montana, with a friend to visit her
daughter who just recently moved there. A wonderful weekend visit from
friends, Dawn and Margie!!! Three retreats and a number of good books and movies.
It
is time to end this letter. And just as I had trouble starting this letter, I
am having trouble finishing. I don’t know what this year will bring. I pray
that there will be Peace on Earth. I pray that I will, more this year than
last, live out of the Spirit that lives in me. This is always difficult and I
always fall short. But I also know that God will love me no more and no less no
matter my shortcomings and I pray you claim that promise also.
Blessings
and Peace to you !!
Nettie
Van Duinen
vanduinen@juno.com