Merry Christmas from the MacD's

Yes, once again it’s time for the annual and exceedingly tacky Christmas letter. Like ugly sweaters this has become a seasonal tradition that we cannot explain, justify, or discard. You, however, should feel free to exercise that third option. 

We began 2017 with two weeks-old goats romping through the house. Our entry into raising Boer goats (a meat breed) started with Itzhak and Asante whom we got as bottle babies. Those are the third of triplets and one too many for a momma goat to raise. You don’t know craziness until you live in an 840 sq. ft. single wide with two frolicking goat kids. But wait! There’s more! They both got an unexplained and intractable case of scours (aka diarrhea). So in addition to bottles every 4 hours there were nasty diaper changes even more often than that.

At three months they were weaned and went out to the barn (yipee!). Sadly, shortly after that Asante mysteriously got sick died within the space of about four hours. Itzhak grew and GREW until he met his destiny. If you’ve never tried goat meat you’re missing out! (Add butchering to the list of skills I’ve learned.)

Lest you think that left us empty-barners, before his demise Itzhak was joined by Sundae, an adult female, and Stella, a doeling. Sundae gave us Apple Jacks and Burrito on June 30 and they now provide delicious meals from the freezer. Sundae will kid again in May and Stella will kid for the first time in late June. Add Dolly, another doeling who won’t be ready to breed for a year and we’ll have a steady supply of good meat in the freezer. Come on over for a taste!

We also added Sally to the Baker Rd. homestead. I couldn’t justify keeping the ’59 Chevy truck I’d restored when it was too nice to be used like a truck and too valuable to sit in the garage. So I sold it in an online auction and replaced it with a ’66 Mustang that got the only truly appropriate name. Purchased from friends in Seattle, Sally is nothing dramatic, just a 6 cyl. automatic that I’m restoring as time and money allow, but which is a fun little driver in the meantime. 

We did some traveling, including trips to MI to see Pam’s mom and for me to preach at a Christian camp. The best trips are back to Phoenix to visit our kids and grands. Pam went in January, I got the joy of also performing a wedding ceremony there in May, and Pam (aka Grammy) went back for Grandparent’s Day in August. We’re headed there in January for more of the best part of our lives. 

In October Steve & Michelle and their two adorable children came for a visit. Jason and Emily loved the goats and the chickens, and the six of us had an additional few days up in Seattle at the end of their visit.

We’re at that all-to-common stage of life where our parents’ well being becomes a concern. In May Pam helped her mom move into independent living where she’s thriving. In November my dad fell and broke a hip. We’ll find out in a matter of days if he’ll be able to return to their independent living situation or if my folks will have to make another transition, this time into assisted living. But at 94 (Pam’s mom) and 95 (my folks) these developments aren’t surprising. They just make us wonder if our health care system is really doing us any favors by prolonging what, in this case, is the ultimate transition into God’s presence and the glory he has prepared for us, his children. 

Goats, chickens, kids of both kinds, cars.... Even that’s not enough to keep life interesting. So Pam carefully nurtured her vegetable garden supplying our diet with fresh produce from our raised beds. She helps with the 2-year olds at church, attends a ladies Bible study on Tuesday, and helps with transportation for a gal who has health problems and can’t get to services on her own. 

In late October I ran the half-marathon in Grants Pass (bucket list item), did some substitute preaching at church and at the Oregon State Prison (I have a great time there), and finished my second book.

Understanding Your Bible was first published in 2005 and to my great surprise it seems to have proven helpful. It’s now in five languages and being used in the States and on the mission field. For several years I’ve been told a follow-up book that goes a bit deeper into the topic of dispensationalism was needed, so when we moved here over two years ago I decided to devote a significant amount of time to that project. I finished the draft in November and sent it to three respected colleagues who have just returned it with their comments on content. After I’ve made revisions based on their recommendations I’ll send it off to two very gracious and skilled friends who will check it for form, making sure the text conforms to standards of grammar, syntax, formatting, etc. Once that step is completed (early February?) I’ll send it off to Amazon to go through their self-publishing process, a relatively new and mind-boggling way to go from manuscript to print, both digital and paperback. By the time this hits the streets, D.V., it will be the culmination of a project that began in October of 2015 and has occupied part of almost every day since then. 

So there you have it, a glimpse at our year. “Retirement” keeps us busy, active, exploring new things, and very, very thankful for God’s gracious provisions. Life, especially for the child of God, isn’t about stuff. We live very simply, connected to the earth God gave us, and with hearts full of the blessings of family and friends. We attend a good church with people we consider important friends, but still stay in contact with those truly loved from our time serving churches in three states. Nothing compares to the treasure that is our family, including both parents walking the road ahead of us and children and grandchildren following behind. Seriously, what could be better?

What will 2018 bring? More blessings! Some will come disguised as struggles, but James tells us even those are for our benefit (Jas. 1:2-4) and will always be accompanied by God’s grace to meet any need. 

Consider this your open invitation to come visit our three acre patch of joy on Baker Rd. We’re just west of Eugene but a world away from hectic “civilized” life. You can hold baby goats, gather eggs from the coop, maybe pick some fruit from our mini-orchard or lay up firewood for next winter. Or just sit on the front porch and look at the huge Douglas fir trees all around us. The coffee is always close by and most days there’s a fresh pie to be sampled. 

Until you arrive we trust your year was - and will be - as blessed as ours. All of this comes to us as an extension of God’s greatest gift that we celebrate this time of year. 

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15).

Craig & Pam