Miller Family Christmas Card 2021

When our photographer told us to strike a silly pose during our family photo session this fall, it was fun, but I never thought we’d be using the picture for our Christmas card. However, when we saw the photo, it seemed too fitting a reflection of our year not to use it.   As seen in the picture, there was a good deal of fun, silliness, chaos, and joy in our home.  God’s grace and kindness to us was unmerited and abundant.  But, the year was also marked by some dark tunnels of heaviness, confusion, and discouragement.  Sadness over relational tensions, increased polarization in our nation, friends who lost loved ones, broken marriages, unmet expectations, physical and emotional sickness, and our own bitterness and frustrations, sometimes got the best of us.  Yet, in the midst of the tossing waves, we’ve been reminded that “we have a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place” (Hebrews 6:19).  That sure and steadfast anchor is our good and faithful God.  Throughout the year, He has been, as the Bible describes Him, our firm foundation, wonderful counselor, Prince of peace, provider, healer, comforter, sustainer, and most of all our Savior.  We stand in awe of the fact that He loves us in our brokenness, and that out of His love for us, He emptied himself of the privileges of deity and was born a human without riches or status. He lived a life of perfect obedience—a life of required holiness we could never live.  And, He died a death of horrific proportions—a death our sin deserved but that He took on for us.   We do not have a God who doesn’t understand our weakness and suffering, but one who entered our broken world and suffered on our behalf.  Then, He rose again—defeating death, healing brokenness, and bringing light into darkness! He, indeed, is making all things new and is preparing a place for us where there is no more crying, or death, or pain or fractured relationships.   Thus, as we cling to Him amidst our suffering, we can confidently say, we are blessed and secure in Jesus!   “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12).  

Luke’s sufferings this year sprung from difficulties, tensions, and stress that frequently shifted his normally “glass half-full” perspective to “glass half empty” and replaced his commonly joyful face with a much more pensive one.  Though there were times he felt defeated and wanted to throw in the towel, the Lord was kind to remind him throughout the year to “count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4). The Lord has indeed been his faithful helper, comforter, and sustainer.  He has grown Luke through this difficult season and has also given Him sweet graces, such as a job he loves with the Boise Fire Department, the support and encouragement of our friends, family, and incredible church body, and times of refreshment through fly fishing excursions, woodworking projects, bagpipe playing engagements, a father-daughter backpacking trip with Hadley for her 13th birthday, time with his parents (who we are blessed to have living across the street), and numerous occasions to relax, play, and rest with our family.  

As for me, having the kids back in school and Brooks at Mama Jo’s a few days a week, has given my brain more margin to be present for my agents and clients at TripleCord Real Estate. It’s also afforded me more time to serve at our church, manage our home, spend time with my parents (who officially moved into their house two doors down from us this year ), and invest in relationships with other women.  One of my biggest joys is taking Mazie (our chocolate lab) for walks along the river with friends while we sharpen, encourage, and pray for one another.  I’ve also enjoyed more laid-back evenings at home with the kids and opportunities for good conversation. And, I was blessed to help organize and partake in our first Table Rock women’s retreat!  Distress over conflict and disharmony has been a particularly heavy burden for me this year.  Thankfully, the Lord has felt incredibly close in this season and has been teaching me to continually “cast my anxieties on Him because He cares for me” (1 Peter 5:7).  He is also reminding me to not grow weary of seeking His goodness, hoping in His coming restoration, and remaining steadfast in prayers for healing, for I know He makes all things beautiful in His time!  

Hadley is in the 8th grade and will turn 14 in January—meaning we will have made it through our first full year of being parents to a teenager .  We have to say, she made it easy for us.  She’s responsible, does well in school, and is respectful and kind to those around her. And, thankfully, she still likes hanging out with us and with her siblings.  Her joys include babysitting, youth group, serving at church, playing her ukulele, days at Camp Perkins, time with friends, baking, creating, photography, and teasing her siblings. Hadley’s low this year has been having a great deal less time with some of her dearest friends. Though this has brought moments of sadness and loneliness, she continues to trust in God’s goodness and the promise that, no matter how confusing things seem, He is working all things together for good (Romans 8:28).  

Taylor will be 12 in March and is in the 6th grade.  She continues to enjoy playing the piano and was awarded a trophy at her festival this spring for having a “superior” ranked performance for three years in a row.  After receiving oil paints for Christmas last year, she spent a lot of time practicing and excelling in her craft.  With the help of Bob Ross, she’s captured some beautiful scenes of God’s creation on canvas.   In addition to painting and piano, she loves storytelling, friends, youth group, fishing, setting up little houses, and anything that has to do with Camp Perkins.  Though she still wrestles with anxiety, which often affects her sleep, she’s witnessed God grow her leaps and bounds in this area and has experienced for herself the truth that “He keeps her in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him, because she trusts in Him” (Isaiah 26:3).     

Hutch turns 10 on the 21st of this month and is in the 4th grade. Some of his greatest joys from the year were playing baseball with the East Boise Baseball League and spending his first week at Camp Perkins.  He’s already looking forward to doing both things again next year!  Hutch also made the decision to publicly affirm his faith in Christ as his Savior, and Luke had the joy of baptizing him at our church this spring.  It was a beautiful day and a delight to hear him tell how knowing Jesus has changed his life! Some of his other joys are swimming, biking, hanging with friends, playing video games, and thinking of new things to buy with his allowance.  He realized he’s made an unhealthy idol of money and needs the Lord’s help to “keep his life free from love of money, and be content with what he has, for the Lord will never leave him nor forsake him” (Hebrews 13:5).     

Ellie will be 8 in March and is in the 2nd grade.  She absolutely loves school and frequently gets very disappointed when we have holiday breaks.  She adores her teacher and loves to read.  We especially love to listen to her expression when she reads aloud.  She participated in Girl Scouts in the spring and got to play soccer for the first time this fall.  She also loves painting, swimming, dolls, time with friends, and writing stories and songs.  With Hadley and Taylor being closer in age and the boys being boys, she has expressed sadness over feeling left out among her siblings. But, the Lord reminds her she is never forgotten.  “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I, the Lord, will not forget you.  Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16).

Brooks is 3 ½ and enjoys being at Mama Jo’s with his friends.   He loves fire engines and trucks, which he pronounced with an “f” instead of a “tr” for most of the year—causing lots of laughter in our home and maybe a bit of embarrassment in public   In August, we had the joy of spending time with his birth mom, aunt, uncle, and cousins.   What a gift they are in our lives and in his!   Brooks has a big personality, radiates joy wherever he goes, offers up sweet prayers, and is an incredible storyteller. Being the youngest, he frequently struggles to be heard and feels screaming is an effective method. We are trying to help him learn it’s not.  As he’s learning and growing, we pray: “Make him to know your ways, O Lord; teach him your path.  Lead him in your truth and teach him, for you are the God of his salvation” (Psalm 25:4-5). 

As for our family adventures this year, we were able to go on our one-year delayed trip to the Grand Canyon and Lake Havasu City with my parents over spring break.  We were also able to take a trip to the East Coast—visiting Universal Studios, Brook’s birth state of Georgia, and spending a week at Lake Anna in Virginia with my parents, my brother, and his family. After 2 years of not seeing each other in person, it was treasured time together, indeed!  And, as an added bonus, Luke’s brother came down to the lake from Baltimore to join us for a few days.  At the start of the summer, we purchased a “new to us” camper with some pop out tent beds that gave us a bit more space. Though we got to enjoy some great camping excursions to Frenchman’s Creek, Challis Hot Springs, and a couple fishing adventures, the trailer turned out to be a bit of a lemon and has given us a fair share of frustration amidst the fun…such is camper life! My brother and his family made it to Boise for a visit, and we were also able to spend time with Luke’s brother and his family who were home from Egypt for the summer. Two of our other major highlights were celebrating with family and friends at our cousin Gibson and Jadyn Berryhill’s wedding and at our nephew, Zeb and Savannah’s wedding.  Luke had the privilege and joy of officiating Zeb and Savannah’s ceremony, and Ellie and Hutch got to be part of the wedding party as well.  Our hearts were overjoyed in God’s kindness at bringing these two couples together and for the ways he has been working in each of their lives to draw them to Him and shine His light to others! 

Thank you for reading! We love you and are thankful for the gift of you in our lives! If you send Christmas cards and don’t have us on your list already, please add us, as we greatly enjoy staying connected with pictures and updates.  And, if you don’t send them, we’d still love to hear from you if you have time to send a note!   We pray that, no matter what waves of joy or sorrow might come over you in the coming year, you would find a strong anchor for your soul in the steadfast love of the Lord.  “You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Psalm 86:15).

Steadfast in our Savior--Luke, Katie, Hadley, Taylor, Hutch, Ellie & Brooks