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Here we are again - empty nesters now! I hope you haven’t given up on us, even though it’s been 10 years since we’ve successfully completed and sent a Christmas letter to all our friends and family. How the time flies.

We moved to San Juan Island in the Northwest corner of Washington State 17 years ago. After 7 years of underemployment, we sold the big house we had built out in the country and moved into a smaller home in the town of Friday Harbor, close to school, church and our office. That was the year we got serious about earning a living here in this place and started our own accounting and financial management practice, Account/Ability Resources, Inc. We have really been challenged to live “Christianly” in our marketplace environment, which we see as a ministry and vocation given by God as well as a practical means of supporting ourselves in this small community. We have been blessed in so many ways with so many wonderful relationships with other small business owners here on the ilsland.

We just celebrated our first Thanksgiving with our new family of six! Jamie and his wife, Michelle, are living in Lynnwood, WA now. Michelle is an environmental engineer working for a construction consulting firm, and Jamie is an avionics systems engineer working for his Iowa-based company on the new Boeing 787 project. They met in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and married in September, 2005 shortly before moving out to the Seattle area. They are very involved with their church and home group, enjoying the recreational opportunities in the northwest and taking care of our ‘grandpuppy’ Caleb, an Australian Shepherd who really is no longer a puppy. We are all hoping they will stay around for a while. Jennifer married Bryan Johnson on June 9, 2007. The newlyweds are living in Tacoma, WA. Bryan has been working with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in campus ministry at the University of Puget Sound.

Jennifer finished up her MBA in International Economic Development in December, 2006. In Tacoma she is working on starting a non-profit to promote entrepreneurship and business development for women on the margins of society. In the meantime, she is doing parttime work for a management consulting company and writing business plans. While someday an overseas assignment might develop, at present they are engaged in urban mission, very active in their inner-city multiracial church and other ministries that serve the poor and marginalized in their Tacoma neighborhood.

We are humbled at this stage of our lives to have such close connections with these wonderful people that God has placed in our lives—and to think they are our own kids! Our discussions and activities range far and wide—social justice, theology, sailing, music, table games, relationships, etc.

Last year at Christmas we embarked on a new venture in “giving.” After looking for the perfect gift to give our clients and friends as a way to show our appreciation for their participation in our lives, we decided to avoid cookies and candy and sugared popcorn and began to use the money we would have spent on those Christmas gifts to lend to small business enterprises in third world countries. Our Kiva portfolio (kiva.org) started with four loans a year ago. Two loans (from Ghana and Ecuador) were paid off and reloaned. The remaining two loans (from Uganda and Kenya) are 83% and 80% paid back, respectively. Through adding to the portfolio nd re-loaning proceeds from payoffs, our Account/Ability portfolio at kiva.org has made a total of 64 loans to entrepreneurs in twenty-three countries. These range from Paraguay to Tajikistan, from Mozambique to Cambodia. We intend to slowly increase these loans with the hope that these monies will continue to make a difference in the lives of poor entrepreneurs around the world. If you’re interested, the minimum loan is $25. Check out their website at www.kiva.org. Tutiniso Boboshehova – Office Supplies - Tajikistan

After several years of transition and turmoil at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church, we have recently called a permanent pastor! Joe Bettridge and his wife, Becce, are already showing God’s love in special ways to our church and our community. We are grateful they are here to lead us and be our friends. Dan served on the Pastor Nominating Committee. He is also retiring from a Presbytery committee after two three-year terms.

We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. May your lives be blessed with wonderful memories of family events and fun this holiday season and spiritual highs, and may the stress and frenetic activity recede as we all try to remember the Incarnation, the true meaning of Christmas, when Jesus “moved into the neighborhood” – Messiah, Savior and King!