Being back in the US after spending so many Christmases in Taiwan, we enjoy the focus on sharing the redeemer's love with the world. We also notice the longings for personal blessing and good favor. The shared love comes out in things like a holiday banquet for internationals, a musical portraying love entering our world as a homeless man with a shopping cart, and family and community gatherings including cards, gifts, and songs about love, joy, and incarnation. The longings show up in the authenticity of shared painful memories and crushed expectations, the frenetic shopping and commercial pressure, and even the demands that government be fair, wise, and stable for us and our people. (Fiscal cliff, anyone?)
We are grateful that we are able to gather with family this Christmas (including our young adult children), even as we also remember those we won't see, in places like Spain, Turkey, Taiwan, and Timbuktu (okay, Ohio, Oregon, Florida, California, Arizona, New York, New Hampshire, places like that!) We are grateful that we can continue in our ministry with TEAM, traveling to places where Christmas is more often known as a distant curiosity than an incarnational revelation. We are grateful that we can enjoy living in Colorado Springs, around the block from Laura's parents in our own home, looking at the mountains* and enjoying the space, the sky, and the American lifestyle.
We also see the letters and emails from many in ministry, reminding us that this is a time of generous giving for many, and also a time of great need and great opportunity. Our own situation is mixed. We welcome some new ministry partners this year, but since our return from Taiwan we have also lost some faithful partners who journeyed with us in ministry many years. One special goodbye is to Fellowship Alliance Chapel after 21 years. They were the first to send us out. FAC, we miss you already!
Each one of you who partner with us in this ministry is a special gift from God, no matter what part you play or for what period of time. Your partnership is not something we earn—you are like wise men who see something and act on it. We want to do the same! May we all enjoy giving in the redeemer's name while we still have opportunity! As we do ministry, we are very aware we have this opportunity on behalf of many. May you enjoy giving generously wherever God directs you. If you want to partner in our ministry, check out this new link on TEAM.org: partner with the Spinellas through TEAM.org
May you be comforted with a comfort beyond humanity. May you celebrate in the joy of incarnation. May your longings be as nothing in the face of your joy and your redemption. Merry Christmas!
With love, Steve and Laura
PS *A note about the mountains: In Colorado Springs, there is dry (almost desert) mountain air with a mountain 7000 feet (2000m) higher just 20 miles (30km) away, so many homes have some angle that gives a view of Pike's Peak or at least the front range of mountains. In our case, this view is over the roof of the house behind us from the window of the guest bedrooms, so come see for yourself! It's closer than Taiwan (well, for most of you!)
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
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