Merry Christmas!

"...I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10

The Wedding

This Christmas season has found the Hitch family wildly busy with much more than the holidays! Lacey and Brandon's wedding is coming up in only six days...and we are all pitching in to make it the best day possible. This month has been crowded with bridal showers, trips to the seamstress, hauling pickups full of Lacey's things to their new house in Mullen, making dozens of lists, planning lodging arrangements, schedules, dinners, flowers, decorations, cakes, food, slideshows, music, programs, shoes, vehicles, hair-dos...the list is much longer than we realized! It's been a lot of fun, and Brandon and Lacey have done a good job keeping everyone relaxed and as stress-free as possible.

During this busy time, we would appreciate your prayers for:

• Good weather on December 29th
• Traveling safety for all those coming from long distances
• That everything would come together smoothly on the 28th and 29th
• Time to finish everything that still needs to be done!
• And most of all, the opportunity to cherish the time we have at home, the holidays and Lacey's last week living Martell.

Keep checking back for pictures of the big day!

Pacific Coast Cruise!

It was our great privilege to travel aboard the Vision of the Seas cruise ship, leaving port at Los Angeles, CA, and tour the Pacific coast south to San Diego, Catalina Island, Ensanada, Mexico, and back to Los Angeles. God miraculously provided our passage and an amazing group of believers to travel with and share this memorable trip.

Our Royal Caribbean cruise ship anchored in the harbor
at Catalina Island, California

At the pier in San Diego, the boys pose in front of the boardwalk.(l-r) Nick, John Geist, Lucas (back), Bristol, Sterling and Blake


This is our version of a "Post-Modern" cell group! We were on the beach at Coronado Island, in the bay of San Diego, and EVERYONE had a cell phone! I guess it's a sign of the times, and I couldn't resist staging this shot of our California "cell group"!

We have been to San Diego many times before, and so made arrangements to meet up with friends from Nick's college, and long-time friend, Pam Nutt, and explore Coronado Island together. The sky was overcast (fires!) the weather cool, but the guys combed the beach and came back with dozens of beautiful sand dollars. Great fellowship enjoying God's creation and one another's friendship.

Kathy with lifelong friend, Pam Nutt. We spent every moment possible together. Pam serves as Nick's "California Mom" while he is in college.

The photos below are taken on 'formal' night on the ship. It is the most exciting evening because everyone wears formal dress, and for us, it is a rare opportunity to truly enjoy the evening's formalities. Great food, great company, great atmosphere, great blessings!

Nick

Havilah and Sterling

Kathy and Jim

Blake

Avery

Lacey

Bristol

It was a pleasure to have my sister, Cindi, join us on the cruise. We consider her an honorary member of the band!

One of the best parts of this cruise was the teaching done by Mike Wascher, Administrative Pastor of Foothills Christian Church in El Cajon, California. Mike gave our group deep spiritual insights on living our Christian lives outside the comfort zone, and beyond the predictable confines of our personal relationship with Christ. He did an astounding job of stepping up to the plate when our scheduled speaker cancelled due to an acute illness at the last moment. We appreciate you very much, Mike!

Mike Wascher taught the Simple Grace tour participants every evening after dinner!

Our goal for the cruise was to offer a retreat for everyone involved, giving them time for family and friends, music and ministry, focused teaching and an opportuntiy to enjoy God's creation along the beautiful Pacific coast. We were unexpectedly approached by the Entertainment Director of Royal Caribbean, and requested to give a 90-minute concert in the centrum of the ship, which is the center stage area which is surrounded by balconies and glass elevators. This was an amazing opportunity to share our Christian witness with the ship's guests and employees in the busiest crossroads of the ship. We had a great audience and our family was so humbled by the way God opened that door for our ministry just out of the blue! The crew even announced on the public broadcast system of the entire ship that our family was giving the concert. It is just unheard of to do such a thing! Quite a privilege perfectly orchestrated by God.

Our family on the stairs of the centrum on formal night. Our next blog will announce Lacey's wedding plans for December the 29th, 2007! We were bittersweet about this being our last family trip with all of us together. Great memories were certainly made together!

The photos below were taken in the centrum stage area during the concert there. We were just so blessed to be there!

Nick joined us as a guest for this trip, and we were thrilled as always to have him included with Simple Grace Ministries!

Our stateroom attendant was a man from Costa Rica whose father is a pastor, but who had not committed his life to Jesus Christ. Several members of our group shared the love of God with him, and before we disembarked, prayed with him. The Activities and Entertainment Director of the ship was also a Christian woman who showered our family with gifts and thank you's as we left the ship. We truly savored the grace and presence of Jesus Christ during that short week on board the Vision of the Seas.

Christ visited that ship with us; all glory and praise and thanks to Him, and to Him alone!

Our stateroom attendant surprised each guest with a different "towel animal" each evening. This was for Jim and I the night before we left the ship. Little things make the time so special. (those were our sunglasses he found in our room)

Next time, Lacey and Brandon's wedding announcement! We are a busy family preparing for the wedding of our eldest daughter, Lacey!