Adopted for Life: Imperishable Gifts

{Here's a unartistic version of our Christmas Newsletter this year. Thought we would post it here.}

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

Dear Family & Friends,

When we first heard the words of Jesus that He would not leave us as orphans but would come to us, we had no idea He would come so soon. We’ve seen the face of Jesus in all of our children (Austin & his new beautiful bride Meagan, Annie, Barret, Poppy and Willow), and also in one another, and we shall soon see Him again in the face of Xiao Qian. Xiao Qian (13) will be the newest member of our family after we travel to China to adopt her as one of ours for life. Although we will no doubt unwrap many perishable gifts stored under the tree this Christmas, His gift to us in her, being imperishable, will have to wait until after December 25th.

We’ve also been the recipients of other innumerable and imperishable gifts this year; like our new daughter-in-law, Meagan, on May 23rd, and Austin's first post-graduate engineering job in Colorado, and Annie’s persistent pursuit of life’s preparations while attending CalPoly, San Luis Obispo, and Barret’s continued commitment to excellence as a Junior in High School, and Poppy’s undying love for her new family, and Willow’s blossoming spirit after more than a year of momentous life changes.

With sincere humility and gratitude under the banner of our Love, Jesus, we also cherish your gifts of charity, encouragement, and most of all prayers. Jesus and His grace came to us in the most unexpected and life changing ways, beginning with our own invisible adoption by Him, and now visibly in all of our children, including our earthly adoptions. This next journey of our lives, starting in 2010, will no doubt require the discipline of bended knee, patience, and an abundance of grace like we’ve never known before. All of us Kruggel’s are right where we need to be, dependent and needy.

And so it also was that He, once a baby born in a stable and became a man that died on a cross, gave us the imperishable - adoption as sons and daughters of God forever. We embrace this mystery with confident faith because we’re known and belong to Him. This Christmas we all celebrate being known and belonging. These are God-created longings that all of mankind possesses, and we’re indebted to Jesus, our Savior they’re satisfied. We now go forth in love, being filled with love, that others might also be known and belong.

Adopted for Life, Adopted Forever, Recipients of Imperishable Gifts,

Tom & Victoria