Brian and Susan Shortmeier Just another weblog January 2008
Dear Family & Friends,
Thank you for your prayers, gifts and notes of encouragement over these past months. We are so grateful to the Lord for the special time we just had while in the states. We were able to spend time with family and friends. We were also able to spend significant amounts of time with Heather & Kevin (Maryland) and Jared (Virginia) in their homes as well as them coming to see us at Cedar Lane Missionary Homes (New Jersey). We were thankful for the loaner car we had and the safe traveling as we put on over 3000 miles in 8 weeks!!!!
The wedding in Maryland was lovely; we feel so blessed at how well everything went. Heather’s new family is very wonderful and gracious and had put so many details together. It was an extra blessing that so many of our family and friends from both New Jersey and PNG were able to come. The wedding weekend (Thursday – Sunday) was filled with lots of gatherings and times to visit.
After the wedding was over, we were able to enjoy many Christmas activities, gatherings with friends and family, the Living Christmas Tree (Thomas Road Baptist Church, Virginia) and attend the Liberty Chamber Singers Concert. We were so pleased to be able to hear Jared sing and then meet so many of his friends back at his apartment afterwards. We were blessed to be apart of the Christmas Eve service at one of our churches as well.
Our trip back to Papua New Guinea was uneventful and almost pleasant after last’s year trip of many missed flights, lost luggage and arriving in Australia during a cyclone. On every flight this time we had exit rows, which gave Brian the much needed extra leg room. Our luggage traveled with us and the weather for our 4 days in Australia was perfect.
So now we are back in PNG; these next days will be busy as we unpack, settle in and jump back into our ministries. Thank you for your prayers as we continue to adjust to life with our children so far away. We are so grateful to modern technology and the (while limited at times) ease there is in communicating with our family and friends.
We are grateful to you for standing with us all these years. We trust you will have a blessed New Year as you walk with Jesus.
With Love,
Brian & Susan Shortmeier
