Christmas greetings to all our friends and loved ones across the world.  We pray that this holiday season finds you with your families, secure in the Love of our Heavenly Father, who sent His Son to save us and give us meaning and purpose to live.

Psalm 28-7-9 says, “Blessed be the LORD! for He has heard the voice of my supplications. The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts; so I am helped, and my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him. The LORD is the strength of His people, He is the saving refuge of His anointed.    O save Thy people, and bless Thy heritage; be Thou their shepherd, and carry them forever.” RSV

We survived the 2005 Hurricane Season!!!!  Thank the Lord for His mercies and protection!  We were not seriously harmed by the storms and hurricanes that came our way.

Our beloved English springer spaniel, Lady Oreo Cookie, passed away this past week on her twelfth birthday, Tuesday, December 13, 2005 . She has been a beloved friend, companion, and loyal family member since the day we brought her home, just a few weeks after she was born.  She will be greatly missed!

                             "Who knows if the spirit of man rises upward
                      and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?"
                                                                                            Ecclesiastes 3:21, NIV

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Cori teaches strings at Marcus Pointe Music Conservatory.  She also teaches private violin students and plays her own violin in Liberty ’s worship team.  “It is a pleasure to see my students grow up and now playing for the Lord in church orchestras or in worship bands.”  She does wedding consultations at the bakery, planning beautiful wedding cakes for events all over the Gulf Coast .  She decorates all the cakes at the bakery. 

Cori had fun buying some furniture this year.  She has also expanded her menagerie of aquariums with several new tanks, African cichlids and guppies.  She has been heavily involved in the Women’s Ministry at Liberty , teaching a Women’s Bible Study and organizing the Secret Sisters’ Ministry.  She writes monthly devotional articles for the women’s ministries and singles’ newsletter.  She enjoyed a simulcast of Beth Moore’s Living Proof Conference with Mom and the girls and is looking forward to attending a live conference in February 2006.

She enjoys her new roll as “Aunt Tori” with Rachel’s nieces and nephews; she loves to take them shopping or to a movie on occasion.

Cori has had a few health difficulties this year, so she is learning not to “burn the midnight oil” as she has always done.  Cori enjoys antiquing and finding great deals at GWs and Sals (Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift stores).  Cori has been crocheting, finishing her first afghan this year thanks to a friend’s instruction. She has also been stamping and doing creative projects and stationery.  She especially enjoyed the new Narnia movie this winter, traveling back to her childhood days of pouring over books under the bedcovers by flashlight at night.  “The Lord has taught me many things this year, mainly to wait on Him and the fulfillment of promises He has made to me.”

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Mary Beth keeps busy with her work at the school, CIAS (link to www.christianinstitute.com) where she is the High School Academic Counselor, Records Clerk, and Senior Class sponsor.  She organized a Formal Banquet/Prom for the Juniors and Seniors in April and hosted yet another meaningful graduation ceremony for the fifteen graduates in May.  She tutored 25 students during the 2005 spring term.

She continues her favorite work as a high school tutor for CIAS.  This fall she taught 32 students, plus a girls’ Home Economics/Life Management Class for eight beautiful young ladies.  She hosted a Mother-Daughter luncheon for the girls in November. “I rejoice that the Lord keeps me busy in the Harvest; I would not trade my job with anyone else that I know.  I am able to witness for the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness and love every day, openly and without inhibition.”

She enjoyed several concerts (not as many as she would have liked!) and continues to discover new jazz and big band artists to enjoy.  She also sang in the choir at Liberty on occasion.  Finding new beaches for sisterly recreation and “down time” after Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis was difficult.  The shorelines have really been ravaged by the storm season this year and we do so love the summer beach season. Weekends are kept bust at the bakery where she ices cakes and engineers and sets up the wedding cakes.

Mary Beth completed a college Bible class this summer and began studying for CLEP exams in Sociology and American History.  “College is moving along slowly but surely, as I try to make time in my already busy schedule to study.” She is an avid reader, reading every spare moment during the summer and holidays.   And as she is an avid “Janeite” (i.e. Jane Austen fan), she enjoyed the new “Pride and Prejudice” movie this fall.

She continues to be involved in the Intercessory Prayer team for Hearts Ablaze Youth Church here in Pensacola .  This summer they hosted two youth conferences, Branded by Fire, where she was especially touched by the Lord during a service by Judah Smith from Seattle .  “The Lord is faithful and merciful to me as a single woman; I turned 30 years old in September.   I thank Him for my life, yet look forward to the coming days of being a wife and mother- they cannot come too quickly, if you ask me! J”

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Tricia has had a very healthy year, praise the Lord!  She is still in remission from her bout with ulcerative colitis.  She is the giver in the family- the family Santa- making sure that everyone’s birthdays and the holidays are celebrated with pomp and gusto.    "I love my life, and wouldn't change much about it.  God has been more than sufficient for all my needs!"

She still runs the business offices for Sarah’s sewing business and the bakery.  She does all the bookkeeping for taxes and is still the webmaster for our business websites (www.breadoflifebakeshop.com, www.christianinstitute.com, and  www.headcoverings.com) and other ministries ( www.hopechestmagazine.com and www.gracedove.net).

She works three + days a week at the bakery as production manager: baking, organizing, and overseeing our employees.  She now sells 75 different baked goods at the bakery- cookies, muffins, turnovers, pastries, and candies. 

Tricia and Sarah traveled as chaperones to Disney World in May with a group of children from Marcus Point .  They also attended a Point of Grace “Girls of Grace” Conference this summer in Birmingham .  It was a dynamic weekend!

In June, our longtime friend Becky Hutchinson was married, and the four girls played their violins together as a quartet for the first time in fifteen years.  It was a great time to see many of our former students and celebrate!

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Sarah is still the family baby, even though she has long grown up!  Her sewing business continues to grow, as she does weddings, special occasion dresses, and custom-made clothing.  Her dogs, Oreo and Hershey, are getting old and have had numerous healthy problems this year.  She loves them dearly and is attached to her “babies.”

Sarah and Mary Beth enjoyed a road trip right before school began in August up to Tennessee to help a college friend, Brooke, move to UT in Knoxville .  They spent a leisurely day sight seeing ( Lookout Mountain , Incline Railway) and drove back by way of Alabama to visit with our beloved Gygax family for several days.  “It was so wonderful to see “our babies” all grown up into such fine young men and women.” They had such a great time!

Sarah teaches two days a week at CIAS and works two days at the bakery.  She is actively involved in her church, plays her violin in worship, and is beginning a children’s ministry on Wednesday evenings.  She enjoys the “College and Career” meetings and weekly Bible studies.

Sarah says about living with older sisters, “I’m still young!!!” J

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Daniel and Rachel have been married a year now, and we see them often as they live nearby.  Rachel is teaching fifth grade at MacArthur Elementary this year.  She is a joy to our family!  Daniel continues to work as an EMT in Escambia Co. and also as an emergency room technician at the naval hospital.  They are building their first home and are enjoying seeing their plans come together.

Rachel’s brother Bill has faced a life-threatening physical condition this year and had surgery just in the past month.  Please agree with us in prayer that his recovery will be complete, and that God will heal and minister to Bill and his family throughout this suffering.

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Mom and Dad stay active, trying to keep up with all of us girls.  The addition of Rachel to the family as Daniel’s wife has been such a blessing.  “I thank the Lord for such a wonderful daughter-in-law; she is a treasure!”

Mom has enjoyed reading Terry Blackstock’s mystery books this year, as well as Beth Moore’s devotionals and Bible studies.  Mom also enjoys shopping with the girls!  She also enjoys catalog shopping, as evidenced by the stacks of them all over the house.  J

Mom keeps the books for the school and bakery.  She does all the interviews for CIAS and meets with many families who are just starting to homeschool their children, helping them with curriculum and lesson planning. This fall she has been teaching composition and research paper writing, plus tutoring several students in English and math.

Dad has been “bakin’ up a storm!”  We have been baking bread for many local restaurants and cafes this year, so Dad gets to spend long early morning hours filling orders on a daily basis.  He still loves to read and eat out with Mom.  They have become quite experienced restaurant connoisseurs and especially enjoy Thai cuisine- Mom, that is.  Dad prefers good ol’ Southern cookin’! 

They have enjoyed driving around in their new Silverado crew cab truck this year.  They traveled to Birmingham earlier this spring for a Greg Harris conference and visited life-long friends, Norb and Helen Thompson.  We also got to visit with Jeff & Kim McManus this fall. Jeff offered Dad his first construction job here in Pensacola when we moved back here in 1985; they are now missionaries in India. Mom and Dad celebrate 43 years of marriage at the end of December.

God bless you all in 2006!  His grace is sufficient to meet ALL your needs “according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus!” (Philippians 4:19, NAS)  

The Jones Family

Pat Julie, Cori, Mary Beth, Tricia, Sarah, and Daniel & Rachel