The Christmas letter 2009 by Alice Naik

December, 2009
Dear friends,
Another year is almost past, and with its waning we are called to ponder the many
experiences which have been woven into the fabric of our lives this year. We have known many
bright moments that are indelibly imprinted in our minds. There have also been many times that
may at first seem dull or commonplace, difficult or impossible to recall, that are essentially the
canvas of life. When we pause to look back over 2009, we get but a glimpse of a small part of our
life’s tapestry. The small section formed over the course of this year includes bright red, yellow,
and golden hues of celebration. It also contains dark threads of loss, grey threads of uncertainty
or discouragement, blues that are identified with times of calmness and rest, and green threads
representing life. Purples richly cascade in and out among all of the others, declaring preparation
for the presence of Christ's royalty among us. Between it all run the warp and woof of music,
laughter, whispered secrets, and happy plans.
Throughout the course of this year we have sensed with increased urgency the need to
celebrate life. Every time our empty nest at the Parsonage is about to be filled with one or more of
our dear daughters, or their families, we have sensed the vital importance of preparation. We
vacuum, mop, dust, scrub bathrooms, bake, cook, attend to special projects, and stock the larder
so that we may fully enjoy our times together. The arrival of family members brings with them a
sense of celebration. We talk, laugh, sing, reminisce, and eat. (Of course we eat – every Naik
celebration includes a feast!) Life, even in its smaller moments, is worth celebrating.
This year has been especially worthy of celebrating in so many ways. Just prior to her
birthday, Jessica became engaged to Thomas Ross, who is already becoming a son to us. Jessy
and Tom have been industriously making plans for their February, 2010 wedding (details, details).
Most recently, with the help of Tom’s parents, they have been looking for their first home. The
Lord has arranged so many details, and it looks as if their home will be ready for closing before
their wedding day. We have enjoyed having Jessy and Tom home for many weekends over the
course of the year. I also managed to get down to Philadelphia to spend a couple of weekends
with them over the course of the Spring and Summer. (On the first weekend they gave me a great
introduction to Philly, taking me to the Shad Festival, out for gelato, and then to dinner at a
creperie). Jess and Tom are actively involved in the Vineyard Church in Philadelphia. We are so
blessed that the Lord has drawn Jessy and Tom together, and our memories are golden and
brilliant.
Laureen has been living in the Binghamton area this year, and we have been blessed by her
presence. She spent many months working at Lourdes Hospital on the Labor and Delivery floor,
applying her special skills to caring for newborns and their moms, and attending Caesarian
deliveries to help with high risk births. In September she left her job to go on a short term
musical mission with the Fall Tour of the Continentals. After extensive travel across the US and
Canada, including a harrowing drive through snowy mountain passes in Colorado and New
Mexico, she spent 3 weeks ministering in Thailand. We missed her greatly, prayed for her
regularly, and welcomed her heartily upon her return on November 23. Though jet lag
overwhelmed her for many days, she is happily and energetically preparing for Christmas. She
even took Micah back to Boston after Thanksgiving (she’s a wonderful auntie). Laureen has
added memories that are red with excitement, blue with calm resolve, green with new direction.
At the end of this month she is planning to attend Urbana 2009 in St. Louis, MO.
Sunita and Andy have had a super-busy, fulfilling year. This year, after much thought and
even more prayer, they undertook the purchase of a house in Northeastern Washington, DC.
Their beloved “money pit” is a gracious and beautiful home for them, and a welcoming “guest
house” for the many people whom they have welcomed there. They have been thoughtfully,
carefully, choosing colors that reflect themselves, warm golden hues and soothing greens. We
have made several trips to DC this year, usually accompanied by small children and various pieces
of furniture. Bernard, Elisha, and Susannah have twice bee our passengers, squeezed in among
the odd pieces that were destined for the DC home. Shelley, Sharon, and Hosannah also have
gone there with us, and were lucky enough to go to the National Zoo on a 72 degree day when the
orangutans were out on their overhead highway, the anteaters made an extended appearance, and
the other animals were happy to be outside. Sunita and Andy love the Lord, and serve him in
many ways, including a prayer ministry that they have trained for. Sunita still travels from time
to time, and has been to Bangladesh, India, and Israel recently. Sunita and Andy continue to be
actively involved in St. Brendan’s Anglican Church. Sunita and some of her friends from
Washington will be going on a short-term mission trip to Orissa in March, Lord willing, to visit
the persecuted Church there and encourage believers.
Janice and Jeremy are still living in their little house in the big city (or, at least, it is big for
us). Micah and Simeon are growing so quickly that we can barely keep up. Micah recently turned
four, and Simeon turned two in the Summer. Micah has long been a master of words and
thoughts, and Simeon, who should be trying out soon to replace Andy Pettit, is now building a nice
vocabulary. Janice and Jeremy love to take the kids to their favorite retreat in North Conway,
New Hampshire. There they ride the train, hike the mountains, enjoy favorite restaurants, and
take in the stunning scenery. Jeremy continues to work for a downtown firm in Boston,
sharpening his legal skills, while Janice works only part time for Healthcare for the Homeless.
This year she designed a web site and opened a children’s photography business, specializing in
capturing “a child’s nature”. Her artistic photography has been featured in a local boutique, and
Janice is loving her new avocation. Janice, Micah, and Simeon will all have leading roles in
Jessy’s upcoming wedding ceremony, and Micah cannot wait to wear her princess dress. (Simeon
couldn’t care less right now but, as ring-bearer, he should provide some interesting entertainment
on that day). Life is a daily adventure with Janice and her family, and she loves it. Janice and
Jeremy are involved in First Presbyterian Church in Ipswich, MA.
As for us, we are blessed to be serving in our twentieth year in Union Center, preparing to
celebrate our twentieth Christmas here. The parsonage is aglow with lights and sparkle, and
festive with many trees, “houses”, and other seasonal décor. Our hearts are aglow with the love
and joy of our Savior, the sweet times of communion with our family, and our many friends
throughout the world and in our neighborhood. We sometimes cannot believe that the Lord has
allowed us to remain in one place for so long. When Brown and I were children, we each spent
our entire lifetime living in one house. For me, that meant that I was 22 when I left “home”, and
now we have been at home in Union Center for almost that long. What a blessing that is! Every
familiar nook and cranny remind us of the sweet times we have enjoyed in this dear home.
At Thanksgiving this year we were blessed to have all of our family home for all or part of
Thanksgiving break. We joyfully celebrated the season, with playing, laughter, long chats, and
lots of hugs all around. We had an early Christmas celebration with Janice, Jeremy, Micah, and
Simeon, and were touched and renewed by the excitement of the children. “Christmas was made
for children”, or so they say. It is a rosy, lively, vibrant time, sparkling with anticipation and
sprinkled liberally with laughter. It was a worthy celebration! On Thanksgiving Day itself, we
gathered with some friends at the Church, where we prepared a served a mighty 3-turkey feast
(with the help of friends). All were welcome who needed a family to share with on that day.
Brown has entered his twentieth year of ministry in Union Center with vigor. Though he
had some health concerns this summer, the Lord has given grace to overcome. The Lord has
granted His grace to continue the ministry of preaching, teaching, writing, visitation, hospitality,
and television outreach. He loves to entertain friends around the table so we often invite friends
into our home. He is excited about this Holy Season of Advent and Christmas, and about sharing
the Good News, as we experience it afresh and anew in our own hearts. .
I continue to have a quietly lively, busy, fulfilling life. Teaching Geometry at Marathon
basically keeps me out of trouble during the school year, but I try to keep some time on weekends
for household maintenance, shopping, sewing, “connecting” on Facebook, and participating in life
within the church family. Occasionally I have been blessed to preach (just a two or three times a
year), and I am always amazed and overwhelmed by how much more I learn about the Word on
those occasions. Also, in case you haven’t guessed it yet, I simply love this time of year. I find the
preparations for the celebration of Christmas to be energizing, uplifting, exciting, and fulfilling.
Preparation always precedes celebration, and in order to full enjoy the celebration we must be
ready in every aspect. We must especially prepare our hearts and minds, reminding ourselves
that Christ came to us in human form so that we might establish a father-child relationship with
God Almighty.
Just now, as we enter the season of Advent, it is a time of preparation for the season of
Christmas, the celebration of the birth of our Lord. At home, we clean out some of the clutter
from our main rooms, and then dig through lonely closets to find the lovingly stored boxes of
bright decorations that will fill all of the spaces that were just cleaned. These are but a symbol of
the joy that we feel because the Christ of Christmas came to sweep the dirt of sin and clutter of
preoccupation with the world’s affairs from our lives, only to fill the dark and lonely places with
His light, His joy, His peace, and His fellowship. CELEBRATE! G. K. Chesterton wrote, “For
men are homesick in their homes, and strangers under the sun, and they lay their heads in a
foreign land whenever the day is done.” “To an open house in the evening home shall men come,
to an older place than Eden and a taller town than Rome, to the place where God was homeless
and all men are at home.” Praise the Lord for the way He has given us a new family in Jesus
Christ, “for as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.” Praise
the Lord for each of you, around the corner and around the world.
In Christ, our Savior and Lord,
Brown and Alice