Christmas 2010 Letter

So Josh worked really hard on our Christmas 2010 letter, and I'm finally doing something with it, so enjoy!

Well here we are again, another year gone by, life advancing steadily with no pause in sight. This is especially true for the Cunningham Family. We’ve witness a lot of major changes in the last year, most for the good, only some for the bad.


Along with the new-year last year, we received news that Jacqui was once again pregnant. Imagine our joy when we had already unwrapped our presents for the year only to be visited once more with a gift of new life. 9-ish months later and here you go…we welcome the newest addition to the Cunningham family; Kaitlyn Joy. She was born on August 31st and weighed 9.575lbs and measured 21.5in long. Once again the labor was short and both Mom and baby pulled through without any lasting problems.

We have had a good couple of months with this new bundle of joy. Just experiencing her smiles for the first time have made any frustration with crying (all Daddy) or sleeplessness (all Mommy) worthwhile. Even Hannah has enjoyed having a new little sister in the house, and has taken on the responsibility of “Official Plugger” in which she gives Kaitlyn her pacifier if/when she needs it. She takes this role very seriously and makes sure to explain when she does and doesn’t want the pacifier.

Speaking of Hannah, she has had an illustrious year. Between figuring out the English language, developing her own sense of self, and memorizing her first bible verse (1 Thess 5:16 – Be Joyful Always), she has been very busy. Not only have we been witness to our own personalities in Hannah like a mirror, we are finding completely independent attitudes, passions, and desires. Needless to say, it has been hectic.

After graduating from the Seminary, Josh began looking for available job openings. Since his call into ministry is in education, he began looking for work in colleges in/near our home. Thanks to a recurring personal contact (thanks Dad) who keeps finding jobs and opening doors for him, Josh was able to begin teaching Comparative Religion classes at Somerset Community College. This has been his passion ever since. In April, as he was completing his first semester teaching, a position at the college to help establish an IT Help Desk opened up that he jumped at. Though initially believed to be a very temporary position, to help the school out with this new IT venture, it has turned into a full-time temporary position that Josh has grown to enjoy. We are still hoping something that will include benefits will emerge, and Josh has gone and interviewed for a few positions, but as of now, nothing seems to be opening up to him.

In response to the slow economy, we moved into Josh’s parents’ house in Somerset. Since Josh works both his full-time IT job, and his teaching position in Somerset anyway, and since Jacqui is completely mobile as a consultant for Focus on the Family, the easiest (and cheapest) option was to intrude upon the good-natured Cunningham family, and take over the room Phyllis (Brenda’s Mother) recently left available. The time spent with multiple families in one location is not new to us, and as with any close relationship, frustration and encroachment can ensue. Thankfully we have learned through previous relationships how to be amicable and even diplomatic in voicing our concerns.

(Josh) I’ve thought a lot about relationships this year. When we moved to Somerset I began spending a lot of time with our associate pastor as well as other members of our church here, and in light of building new relationships, I began re-evaluating what I believe. I’ve come to the realization that the purpose of all life is relationship. We aren’t here merely to worship God; if we were His love would mean less. We aren’t merely here to obey God; if we were He would not love us but would rule over us with an iron fist. We aren’t merely here to love God; if we were, the affection we have for others would be idolatry. Instead, a triune God, who is relationship in His very being, created mankind to love and be loved by, and by extension to love each other and be loved by each other. The world has a basic understanding of this concept when they speak of the “Christmas spirit” which draws us together and strengthens our relationships with love, but it is Charles Dickens who so perfectly illustrates the depth and breadth of the need for relationship in his story “A Christmas Carol.” In this story we not only see that life is made up of relationship (both horizontally and vertically), but even more importantly that a life of selfishness will lead to an eternity of loneliness. You see, God is love, and as love, He will love us enough to allow us to do as we like. If we want to focus on ourselves (our looks, fashion, piety, humility, what we can get out of life) He will let us do so. Ultimately though that means we must spend eternity alone and independent (which is truly Hell). C.S. Lewis said that “In the end, either we will tell God ‘Thy will be done’ or He will tell us “Thy will be done’.”

Remember this Christmas season that life is not about what you can get out of it, but what you can give out of it. That is why it is so much more blessed to give than to receive. For it is in the giving that we can become less self-focused (sinful), and more Christ-like (Matt 20:28). We pray that Jesus who Himself lived a life of service, would create in all of us a servant’s heart, passionate for intimacy with all mankind.

We love you all. With all the support, kindness, understanding, and even overlooking poor parenting (by Josh) we recognize you are already living God’s call on your life. We hope and pray this coming year will be greater by far than the year before, and that God will create within you a yearning to deepen your knowledge of and relationship with Him.