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Christmas 2006
With four trips in the last month and a half, we’re running a bit behind with our annual Christmas greetings. But we do want to wish you a wonderful Christmas celebration and update you on our family. This year has featured three graduations and a number of changes.
For Jarl 2006 has been another year of great variety as he continues to be self-employed in the publishing industry. He has written articles, consulted on book publishing, edited some major works for academia as well as the popular market, traveled to conventions, and continues to serve as managing editor for the Creation Research Society Quarterly. And he has taken up running. Logan holds himself back enough to run along with his dad.
Winona continues to teach at home. She’s now down to two, Logan and Kalissa. She continues to give her time to teaching Sunday school at our church and coordinates things for the homeschool children’s choir. She spent much of this summer working at a child development center at a large church in Charlotte. A highlight of her year was a reunion with many of her childhood friends from Colombia in July.
One more degree was added to the family pedigree in May as Jarrell graduated from Bryan College in Dayton, Tennessee (Summa Cum Laude, we proudly add). A full load of courses, along with managing the computer lab at Bryan, and serving as the senior class treasurer kept him plenty busy. Yet he still found time to work on his beloved hobby of writing music. He even won a “Bryan Oscar” for best original musical score in the Bryan film festival (admittedly not a lot of competition). On top of that he spent his spring break in the Philippines, setting up computer networks and solving technical problems for missionaries with Send International. He loved the experience. His plans for graduate school got set aside for a while—for a year to be precise. He’s working at the University of South Carolina at Lancaster this school year, with plans for graduate work beginning next fall. Where? Maybe Georgia Tech, University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, University of South Carolina??
Austin made a major life decision this fall. After much searching and researching, he decided to join the United States Army. He just graduated December 15 from infantry training at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He has learned a lot about the army and warfare, as well as a lot about himself. He has a good rapport with the other soldiers and seems to have their respect, and he has held up well under the pressure. He’s also seen the need for real spiritual guidance and assistance for these soldiers and is hoping to receive training to become a chaplain’s assistant. He is home with us for Christmas but returns to Ft. Benning January 2 to begin Airborne training. He doesn’t know yet where he will be going after that.
Reed graduated from high school June 2. Since he started school early, he is a year ahead of most students his age. He was offered a full-time job at JAARS and decided to work there for a year before starting college full-time. He continues to take some college classes on the side, however, and this, along with testing, has allowed him to accumulate some college credit already. His job offers him a lot of variety and a good income. He’s planning to buy a car soon. Reed also has become a serious composer of music. He debuted one of his latest works as he played piano at his cousin’s wedding rehearsal dinner and reception, and it was well received.
Logan continues along in school, but he would rather be outside and doing more active things. He played baseball again this summer, and this fall he joined the Civil Air Patrol. He’s learning a lot about the military, aviation, first aid, and physical fitness. Actually, he’s pretty physically fit as it is. He runs regularly, several miles at a time and can do an alarming number of push-ups. He hasn’t decided exactly what direction he wants to go in the future, but he likes the discipline of the military. He still has plenty of time to decide whether he will follow in his brother’s footsteps.
Our youngest, Kalissa, has reached the fourth grade now. She continues to do well in school and in her extracurricular activities, such as singing in the homeschool children’s choir and sewing. She has made shirts for her dad and a brother and a jumper for her mom, and she’s now working on Christmas presents. She has enjoyed having a new friend her age just across the street. That has been a special blessing.
This time of year we are reminded of the greatest of blessings as we celebrate the coming of the one whose “goings forth are . . . from the days of eternity.” It is because the eternal God became a man and entered our world long ago at Bethlehem that we now have the hope of eternal life with him.
We thank you for your prayers and support of our family, and we thank God for you and yours. Have a blessed Christmas.
The Waggoners
7903 Royal Ct., Waxhaw, NC 28173 / 704-843-1973
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