Hi Maya,
This is mommy’s blog for you, but I’ve been wanting to tell you about some of our fun times together… and a fun story about how much you love your mom.

On Sundays, about half of the time, I take you and Madey and Daniel to church school in the morning. We were driving home one day in December. Madey was talking about something that had made her sad in church. You wondered why Madey would be sad in church, and I was explaining that sometimes people who follow Jesus go into sad places. Sometimes people who follow Jesus talk to people who are having very sad times. Sometimes people who follow Jesus sit with people who are feeling very, very sad.

I reminded you that your mom goes to East High School and that lots of times she is sad because of what happens to the girls there. But she still goes to East high school because she knows that Jesus wants her to be there working with girls even if it sometimes makes her sad. I said, “That’s what we do when we follow Jesus.”

You were sitting in the back seat. You said, “Yeah, she really believes in that guy.” Madey and Dan and I said, “Yeah she does…” and then we all laughed really loud.

I sure love being with you and your mommy and Madey and Dan.

Joy – At a time when it’s difficult to be joyful…

You made this gumdrop wreath and the reminders for which each candle is challenging us to think about.

We have lit it every day of Advent – totally treasured time.

I wrote this to our pastors – Jim and Mary – this morning. Thought I’d share it with you when you’re older.

Good morning Jim and Mary –

My Mom sent this email yesterday – the 11 days before Christmas poem below. It’s beautifully, beautifully written – and I thought it might help you and those you love/nurture.

The focus of the advent wreath candle this week, as per Maya’s religious ed class, is “joy.”

Each week I have been really spending my “stop lights” including coffee and candle time being with God with respect to the focus for that week: hope, love, and now joy. Hope and love seemed much easier than joy… especially this week. Joy – when was Jesus joyful? Joy – when there are broken hearts that need to be loved. Joy. But I don’t feel joyful. I feel very very sad for the joy that left the earth last Friday. I’ve been wrestling.

This poem helped.

Let the little children come to me – the little children who, left to their own will, never walk in straight lines – the little children who skip, jump, run, roll wherever they go (Jim and I watched children attentively as we traveled to and around Taiwan and then Austria – this is an international trait of children) – for the Kingdom of God is theirs.

Called to be joyful. Called to sometimes put the weight down and skip. And dance. And belly laugh. To be “WOWED” by the reflections Christmas lights make off glass table on the ceiling. Because that joy is God’s design – beautiful, good, healthy, loving, holy.

I love you both dearly – I wanted to share these thoughts with you.

Grateful for joy,
April

April Lynn Luehmann, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Science Education
Warner Graduate School of Education
University of Rochester
ph 585.275.3010
april.luehmann@rochester.edu

From: Mom and Dad
Date: Mon, 17 Dec 2012 18:20:26 -0600
To: Jolene Stark
Cc: Julie Falkers , Jonna Stark , “greenfingersfarm@aol.com” , Mom and Dad Lloyd Luehmann , Jenessa Stark , Bianca Luehmann , “MARK.LUEHMANN@cmsenergy.com” , “toomanybz@yahoo.com” , “rmcrohe@yahoo.com” , “ranaerohe2@charter.net” , April Luehmann , Amy Strande , “gusf@me.com” , April Luehmann , Bruce Friedrich , “shellyrohe@yahoo.com” , “alkac@peta.org” , “awkratzke@aol.com” , “bafpierce@juno.com” , “bettydiersen@gmail.com” , “bjturock@me.com” , “clfromm@att.net” , “eunicelow@charter.net” , “car.pierce@live.com” , “hsylviahall@comcast.net” , “jandastark@aol.com” , My Jim , “jnmussell@yahoo.com” , “klongland@sbcglobal.net” , “lfromm@spartan.org” , marilyn friedrich , “mgstark1@aol.com” , “rachonpamela@yahoo.com” , “stark_17@hotmail.com” , “w.fromm@hotmail.com”
Subject: Newtown, CT

Hi….You all probably have received comments (via Facebook, etc) about Newtown, CT. The newscasts just break our hearts. Tears have welled up in our eyes often as we listen to the TV with the funerals beginning today. I’d like to share something with you sent to us by a friend from church:

Twas’ 11 days before Christmas, around 9:38
When 20 beautiful children stormed through heaven’s gate.
Their smiles were contagious, their laughter filled the air.
They could hardly believe all the beauty they saw there.
They were filled with such joy, they didn’t know what to say.
They remembered nothing of what had happened earlier that day.
“Where are we?” asked a little girl, as quiet as a mouse.
“This is heaven.” declared a small boy. “we’re spending Christmas at God’s house.”
When what to their wondering eyes did appear,
But Jesus, their Savior, the children gathered near.
He looked at them and smiled, and they smiled just the same.
Then He opened His arms and He called them by name.
And in that moment was joy, that only heaven can bring
Those children all flew into the arms of their King
And as they lingered in the warmth of His embrace,
One small girl turned and looked at Jesus’ face.
And as if He could read all the questions she had
He gently whispered to her, “I’ll take care of mom and dad.”
Then He looked down on earth, the world far below
He saw all of the hurt, the sorrow, and woe
Then He closed His eyes and He outstretched His hand,
“Let My power and presence re-enter this land!”
“May this country be delivered from the hands of fools”
“I’m taking back my nation. I’m taking back my schools!”
Then He and the children stood up without a sound.
“Come now my children, let me show you around.”
Excitement filled the space, some skipped and some ran.
All displaying enthusiasm that only a small child can.
And I heard Him proclaim as He walked out of sight,
“In the midst of this darkness, I AM STILL THE LIGHT.”

Written by Cameo Smith, Mt. Wolf, PA

I love you very much,
Miriam