Christmas Greetings from the Castro Household

Dear Family & Friends,

Greetings from the Castro household!  Rob recently had this preoccupation with clocks, old towns, and time.  Those pictures Rob took of clocks in various places and times reminded us of the significant moments we had this year:

For Kamilah, it was a time to go back to Johns Hopkins University after studying abroad at Sydney, Australia and traveling around various Asian countries; a time to graduate from college, do a job search and finding one at USC Department of Immunology.  It was also a time to learn and understand cell structure, proteins, bacteria, Rubicon, Korean English and pippetting; a time to be independent and living in an apartment.   Most of all, it was a time to recognize God's generous provisions and loving-kindness, and a time to pray for wisdom in choosing the right path amidst the opportunities that He has opened up.

For Rob, it was a time to adjust to a new position at work, deal with difficult people and learning oil and gas and "environmental justice" whatever that is; a time to pick up and play guitar to some old tunes with some old folks and reminisce about old times; a time to study, learn and teach Sunday School (what a blessing that was!).  It was also a time to see the world with a new eye, taking pictures using view finder cameras, SLRs, film, digital, black and white, colored, infra-red; sharing pictures with friends and making friends through pictures.  It was a time to see the world with its beauty and appreciating the Creator who made such handiwork; a time to recognize the darkness and the ugliness caused by man, and the dilemma of capturing such darkness and integrate into it the promise of hope through redemption, a time to ask for God's blessings to convey this message effectively.

For Rose, it was a time to celebrate for being freed and healed from a frozen shoulder, a time to appreciate regaining the strength of ones arms and putting it to good use.  It was also a time to handle stress and pressures at work through music ( hint: listen to Orff's Carmina Burana but using ones own words especially the things that bother you.  For Rose it was AECD, OBD, DPF, PIP, de-SOx, de-NOx, etc.), humor and by hanging on to Psalm 73:26.  It was a time to visit family in the Philippines, a time to realize age and ones finiteness, a time to consider retirement from work, a time to pray for discernment on future activities to pursue.

Then we have the two special members of our household, Jerry Mew and Mimi.  They don't have any concept of time, only streams of consciousness consisting of daily food, clean litter, combing, daily walks, treats, attention and care.  Without them, they grow berserk -- Jerry gets bulimic by throwing up hairballs all over the place and Mimi gets wild, reverting back to being a stray dog, getting lost for hours before it comes home.  They remind us of our daily needs and we are thankful that we are well provided for by our heavenly father.  He gives us our daily bread and His loving hand is upon us so we won't stray away from Him.  He loves us so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that through Him we are saved.

May the blessings of Christmas be yours today and the years to come.

Love In Christ,

Rob, Rose and Kamilah