12 Blessings of Christmas

This Christmas was so amazing in incredible ways. As we all came to discover, God's hand was guiding our family gathering in the snow from the time the idea was presented at Thanksgiving dinner in November. Brother Tom kept the dream of a white Christmas surprise alive during the next few weeks and then took the plunge to buy plane tickets for himself, Marti, Amy and Brian. They scheduled their flight for Tuesday Dec. 23rd, the day after Tom's birthday. We had just seen and talked to Tom, Amy and our daughter Erin via SKYPE, an online video/phone the evening before their visit. We had no idea Tom and family were planning a special surprise visit to Friday Harbor. We were covered with 6 inches of snow and giving them a bad time for not coming up and joining us in the snow as we talked on SKYPE.

To make matters very interesting for Tom, SeaTac airport had been shut down for 48 hours due to the unsually heavy snowfall. It appeared that their surprise was going down the tubes as northwest travel was paraylyzed by the white stuff. Tom and family went to bed feeling pretty doubtful that their surprise would happen this year. When the 3 a.m. alarm went off, Marti went to the computer to discover that their flight on Virgin America was going to take-off on time to Seattle. Their 6 a.m. departure was the first flight out of Seattle in two days. Hmmmm! Anyone seeing God's hand at work?

Sure enough, they took to the air and arrived in Seattle to a sea of snow. Now they needed to rent a car and hit the I-5 freeway for the snowy drive up to Anacortes and the ferry ride to Friday Harbor. Nephew Brian took the wheel and braved the snowy road conditions for two hours in time to make the 2:40 p.m. ferry. The side roads were icy and Brian experienced some loss of traction, slip sliding away, in a fast food parking lot, but God's guiding hand kept everyone safe.

Ho! Ho! Ho! "We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas..." This and other Christmas songs greeted me as I opened the door to 4 masked happy carolers, yucking it up. I could not figure out who was behind those masks and neither could anyone else in our house. We were all stumped and confused. Then the masks came off, one at a time, lo and behold, it was niece Amy, nephew Brian, brother Tom and wife Marti. They pulled it off, the greatest Christmas surprise ever.

The Best Christmas continued...

As I mentioned in the previous blog post, this was one of the Best Christmas' Ever. There were many factors that made this Christmas so special. Our son Damon and his wife Lindsey came to visit us here in Friday Harbor from Little Rock, AR, to spend a week with us. By God's design, we were all blessed with a white Christmas. We had so much fun playing in the snow, making snowmen, snow angels, throwing snow balls at each other and generally smothering each other in the powdery snow.

We also had a blast shoe horning 12 people into our home when the Tom Woodwards arrived on Dec. 23rd. The winter wonderland was highlighted by family fun and closeness, something that just can't be duplicated. Our wish and prayer for every family is that they might experience this gift in 2009. The gift of family is one of God's beautiful treasures and He desires that each one of us receive His healing that we might experience family in His love.


Monique, Damon and Lindsey preparing Christmas Eve dinner and Lindsey's family favorite, green bean bundles.

We give God the glory and praise for how He orchestrated this special Christmas 2008. I will speak more of God's guiding hand in making all this happen in the next blog entry.

Masked Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

It has been two months since I've sat down at the computer to do some blogging. There have been several thoughts on my mind to write about but just haven't taken the time to sit down and journal on this blog. If I don't take the time, the thought goes off into space and gets lost for a time. Frustrating! Can you relate?

This remembrance though will be etched in my mind for a long time. The etching carves deeper because my emotions were seriously stirred and emotions, when linked to life events, are the tools of memory makers.

We are enjoying a White Christmas here in northwest Washington; the first one in a long time. As I write on Christmas Eve there is a sprinkling type rain falling, which is threatening the snow dusting which highlights the trees, but I suspect the white blanket of snow on the ground will stay through Christmas.

Now for the surprise; yesterday afternoon, around 4 p.m., for the first time in many many years here in Friday Harbor, Christmas carolers came to our front porch. They were very mysterious because all of them were wearing ski masks. They came with loud boisterous voices, belting out familiar carols but I could not identify the faces behind the masks. There was laughter amongst the caroling and it definitely seemed that they knew me. Who could this be?

My daughter-in-law Lindsey and son Damon, here from Arkansas, and a little boy Adolfo who we were are caring for were the only ones in the house with me. I looked and looked at each face but was completely stumped. Who are these people? I began to suspect they might be some of my son's old high school friends stopping by to say hello. But then, would they be caroling?

The carolers continued to belt out the carols with laughter and joy. At about this same time, my wife Monique and her mother came in the back door to the house. We are all stupefied by the carolers and could not figure out who was behind the masks. Daughters Ellie and Carly were off sledding with friends so we didn't have their help in figuring out the mystery.

Finally, this band of merriment began to take off their masks. Much to our surprise, the voice behind the deep HO! HO! HO! was my brother Tom and his family; wife Marti, daughter Amy and son Brian. Wow! We were all in joyous shock. Merry Christmas! they shouted and we all hugged and laughed for what seemed like hours later. What an incredible memory that has been carved in our hearts and minds.

In my next blog...I'll share what makes this masked mystery even more amazing.

Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage

Monique and I had the opportunity to attend a Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage Conference in Yakima, WA in September. Wow! We laughed and laughed as Mark Gungor presented hilarious truths about make and female communication.

Honest, Hard-hitting and Hilarious are three words that best describe the conference. We were so encouraged by this teaching and have decided to promote the conference as part of InFocus Family Ministries. It is another way we will reach out and offer hope to marriages and families.

We will host a video conference in Friday Harbor on the weekend of November 14-15th at The Elements Hotel. Please call us to register - (360) 378-8435

You will laugh, be encouraged and empowered to live out a healthy marriage relationship.

Dad and daughter weekend

The weekend of September 12-14 daughter Carly and I attended Dads/Daughters weekend at Warm Beach Camp, near Stanwood, WA. Our friends, Bob and Ally Benz joined us in our cabin. To the right is a picture of all of us after our sunset canoe trip.








We all had an incredible time and were blessed with warm summer weather. One of the campfire chapels that we all shared together spoke to me. It was a message for the dads, talking about before responding to our daughters behavior, always remember the forgiveness we have in Christ. The phrase that stuck with me is, "do everything on the backside of forgiveness". When we reflect on the Savior's unconditional love and forgiveness freely given for our sins, our responses are seasoned with grace. This makes such a huge difference in building our relationships with our daughters and allows us to give consequences with love.


We had a full weekend of activity, horse back riding, swimming, archery, BB gun target shooting, mini-golf, shooting baskets, tire swining, Foosball, 4 square and ping-pong. At the last minute, Carly and I decided to make a rocket. We launched it on Sunday morning, and it never came back. The wind grabbed it and planted high in the trees. Oops, we needed a change in trajectory.



Something to remember, respond in love by being on the "backside of forgiveness".

Fair Time Again

One of our favorite family events that brings summer closer to a close is the San Juan County Fair. This week is fair week and our family tradition has been for each of us to enter something in the fair. I'm entering the sunset photo I took last summer of Fisherman's Bay on Lopez Island. It was one of those special moments when God chose to accent the heavens with a multitude of colors for His glory. What an incredible display of the Creator's majesty, creativity and splendor. The heavens truly do declare the glory of the Lord.

Listening to the Spirit

I came across an interesting piece in the story of the apostle Paul's second missionary journey.

In Acts 16 beginning with verse 7 we read;

When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. NIV

This is fascinating to me. "The Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to" move on to where they planned to go in their journey to preach the gospel. The passage doesn't tell us how God closed the door or what specifically He did to impress upon Paul that he was not to go into Mysia. What might have been the range of emotions Paul went through after hearing this from the Spirit? Wow! He had to be disappointed big time.

After all, he was on a roll. Read the previous passage beginning with verse 4 -

As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

Paul, Timothy and the others on the missions team had just experienced an incredible outpouring of the Spirit and seen people strengthened in their faith, plus many became followers of The Way. Then mysteriously, he is told in some way, don't go there, not to Mysia.

Warren Wiersbe says in his commentary on these passages - "However, it is comforting to know that even apostles were not always clear as to God’s will for their ministries! God planned for the message to get there another time." (Acts 18:19–19:41; see 1 Peter 1:1).

I couldn't agree more, that it is comforting to know that the apostles didn't have things dialed in with the Spirit. They were men just like me. Monique and I are seeking to hear the Spirit's voice and follow Jesus wherever he may be leading us and our family. Please join us in prayer.

The Vitamin D factor

This last year was a rough one to endure for us in the northwest. The fall, winter and spring seemed especially dark and dreary. We suffered from a lack of sunshine and this was actually evidenced in some blood tests that Monique and Ellie took in nutritional check-ups.

Both of them were extremely low in Vitamin D. Did you know that Vitamin D deficiency is being linked to the development of multiple sclerosis? Here are some other factors:

• Gender: Women are 2 to 3 times more likely to get the disease than men.
• Family history of MS: A family history increases the risk of developing MS. The closer the relationship, the higher the risk. For example, if your identical twin develops the illness, your chances are about 30%. However, research has shown that there is no single "MS gene." It will take many more years to understand the role of genetics.
• Race: MS appears more commonly in Caucasians than in groups of other racial origin.
• Environmental factors: MS occurs most commonly in those living in northern climates, including anywhere north of Denver or Philadelphia in North America. MS is also common in Northern Europe and Japan. Where you spend the first 15 years of your life plays a crucial role in your odds of developing MS. Tropical and southern regions are considered low risk. If at age 15 or older you moved from the south to a high-risk area in the north, you are still considered to be at low risk for the disease. If you moved before age 15, you would then have a higher risk. There is some early evidence that sunlight exposure and high levels of Vitamin D may decrease the chance of developing MS. However, further research is required before supplements can be recommended for this purpose.

As most of you reading this know, Monique has multiple sclerosis. When we spend time in warmer sunnier climates, she feels better. Certainly, according to research, her body is making more vitamin D with more exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays.

We are taking all this information in as the Lord will use wisdom in guiding us to live healthy lives in His service. Certainly the discipline of regular exercise, something we embrace as a family, brings honor and glory to Him. We desire to be good stewards of the bodies He has given us to live out this life on earth. Location may have something to do with this stewardship. Please keep us all in your prayers!

Will You Trust Me?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all you ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

Yowza! Trust was a big issue in our rock climbing experience around St. George, Utah. As a family we stepped out of our comfort zones and together we let the guys from Paragon Adventures lead us up and down the rock canyons. Carly is shown here clinging to the rock and climbing to the top. She did a fantastic job of overcoming her fears that day.

On the right, Ellie is headed up the rock and stops to smile for the camera. Smiling was reserved for these brief camera moments and after conquering the challenge. During the climb it was mostly focus and concentration that was seen during our journey up the rock. We were constantly encouraged to trust in our guides, the ropes and the bolts that were anchored in the rocks above. Hmmm? Why did we have such a struggle in the beginning with this trust?

I think the same is true of our faith journey. Our God is constantly encouraging us to trust in Him and yet we live lives that reflect the opposite of trust. Many times our lives reflect doubt and unbelief. The question God is asking of our family today is: Will you trust me? Is he asking you the same question? Are you listening and responding with a resounding YES Lord, or is your response conditional?

Winds of Change

Have you ever felt led by or stirred by a wind of change? John talks to Nicodemas about the Holy Spirit in the life of a follower in John 3:8. Here is what he says; You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God.”

This verse contains a wordplay which cannot be adequately expressed in English. The Greek word pneuma means both wind and Spirit. The work of the Spirit (pneuma) is invisible and mysterious like the blowing of the wind (pneuma). Man controls neither.
On a recent trip to Southwestern Utah, we sensed the winds of change blowing through our family. Please pray for us as we, Ellie, Carly, Vic and Monique , discern what God is telling us in this wind.

We are "born of the Spirit" and He speaks to us. We want to listen attentively. More to come as we listen. Stay tuned.

Bloomsday Run - Family Fun

On May 4th we joined the Couser family, daughter Erin and friends, on a run through the streets of Spokane, WA. The run is called Bloomsday. Monique and I had run it years ago and were challenged to run it again by our friends the Cousers. It was fantastic reunion of families.

The goal of running Bloomsday, 7.4 miles kept Monique and I motivated to run through the winter. Ellie and Carly caught the vision for the run in April and did a little jogging to in preparation for the big day. We were so proud of them for hanging in there and finishing.

There were about 45,000 folks who took to the streets on a beautiful sunny spring day in Spokane. Erin was the family winner, finishing in 1 hour - 15 minutes. I managed to push through the 6th mile wall and finish 3 minutes behind her. Way to go Erin!

Here are the Woodward gals, Monique, Erin, Carly and Ellie with friends Allison and Craig.

Love and Respect Journey

Monique and I have been applying the principles of Love and Respect, Ephesians 5:33, to our marriage ever since we heard the teaching from Emerson and Sara Eggerich through their ministry titled, Love and Respect. This teaching is available to everyone either through their book or through their video teaching. We have been on a mission to share this life giving message to couples for two years.


The message has several key truths. First, couples clearly understand the differences between female and male, pink and blue. Through funny life stories and examples, couples laugh and see the reality of the God made differences. The seriousness of communication issues are diffused in the light of these differences and tools are taught through the fundamental relational principles found in Ephesians 5:33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. Ephesians 5:32-33

Followers of Christ have some understanding, intellectually, of the unconditional love of Jesus Christ for all humanity. Husbands are commanded to give this unconditional love apart from their wife's performance. There is another piece to this passage however that sometimes gets missed. Wives are commnanded to unconditionally respect apart from their husbands performance.

Giving unconditional love to a disrespectful wife and giving unconditional respect to an unloving husband, produces power in the marriage relationship by speaking male and female language that melts and stirs hearts. This stirring releases couples from the Crazy Cycle that spins when we don't communicate in each others love language.

Pink and Blue, not wrong just different. Women seeing the world through pink sunglasses and hearing through pink earphones; men seeing the world through blue sunglasses and hearing blue earphones, these are one of the key visuals which help couples see how we are different and the communication challenges we face in marriage.

Monique and i have been able to decode each others language which has reduced misunderstandings and increased intimacy in our relationship. We are no longer battling to change each other in conflicts.

Attend the Love and Respect video conference in Friday Harbor, April 25th and 26th and receive a renewed energy and passion for loving and respecting your spouse.

For more information call, Vic and Monique Woodward - (360) 378-8435

Valentine Memory

Valentines Day has come and gone, but my memories took me to last month and my nephew Eric's wedding. It appears from the picture on the left that Eric was contemplating his decision to marry Stephanie with his Dad, my brother Tom, all the way up until the last minute. This however was not the case. Eric's love for Stephanie and his choice to marry her had long since been decided and affirmed in his mind by God.

We trust God for this union of man and woman. The wedding was a joyous celebration of love. On the right, Eric's mom reflects the radiance of joy in her beautiful smile. As Eric and Stephanie let go of control, something that happens when husband and wife grow in Christ and in marriage, they will experience a oneness that is life giving to the world around them.


It is a mystery, as the apostle Paul says in Ephesians. I think marriage is also an incredible adventure, filled with thrills and spills, molding and conforming to our original creation, in the image of God. Will you join us in lifting up Eric and Stephanie Woodward and their marriage, to His glory.


As we can testify, He will work all things out for the good for those who trust in Him.

Happy Valentines Day!

Love,

Vic, Monique, Ellie and Carly