Good News - December 2020

Christmas is too important to let slide. This month GoodNewsWants to Know... What creativewaywill you honor and enjoy this COVID Christmas? Not sure how creative this is but we do an annual Christmas party for our Res- cue Upstream team, and I am renting a very large tent and celebrating in the backyard so we can socially distance. Fellowship is so important! Char Talmadge, Director, Rescue Upstream My siblings and I have talked about tak- ing some time with the family this Christmas to have everyone share an update about what’s been happening in our lives (we don’t all live in the same city) and spend some time praying for each other. Perhaps also discussing how we can better show love to one an- other and what we can adjust about our family culture to better support one an- other. I’m really looking forward to it! Amanda Forman, Lead Business Designer, Zone (UK) Christmas is a very special time for our family wherein we celebrate our Savior's birth and re live and create special memories. We're looking forward to staying safe yet watching our grandchildren, like their parents, sit for the annual picture coming down the steps then watching their eyes and excitement as they plunge into their stockings and open their gifts from under the tree. There is something very special in hearing a child say: "Just what I wanted!" William “Bill” C. Davell, Director, Tripp Scott Attorneys at Law The Denisons will have bright blue stocking; and a bright green tree. They will have hand sanitizer; at the top of the bright red chimney. The children may hear of North Pole spikes; but they won’t fear. They will have Doctor Fauci; watch over the sick reindeer. Bob Denison, President, Denison Yachting Our family will be celebrating Christmas this year in a smaller and safer format. The creativity we will be bringing back to our home is the true meaning of Christ- mas in a more thankful manner than ever before. We will celebrate the birth of Christ, and the health and safety of our family and friends as the greatest gifts of all. Chip LaMarca, State Representative, Florida House District 93 We intend to keep as many of our Christmas traditions going this year while we do our part to keep family safe. We will still ride bikes around our neighborhood and check out all the Christmas lights each night and watch a bunch of classic Christmas movies. We will serve at our Church for the Christmas outreach and do a hybrid-socially distant Christmas Caroling party (maybe a drive-by). On Christ- mas Day we will read Luke 2 and Wendy will make monkey bread; later that day our family will come over for dinner. The Savior has come! Chris Lane, President, First Priority of South Florida There are so many moving parts this year that it's making planning really difficult for us. Typically, we choose a different location each year to celebrate with family - we are geographically diverse! This year, we're hoping to be together with both of our sons here in South Florida if that possibility opens up. Otherwise, each of us will do a FaceTime guided walk-through of some of our family's favorite places to go on Christmas. Craig Huston, Huston Consulting Group, LLC We will celebrate Christmas with just our nuclear family and perhaps some from our church family who have nobody else. Jennifer’s family prefers us not to come to them this year, and some of our adult children will be here from England and Ohio visiting. As such, we will enjoy the time with them while we have them! H. Collins Forman, Jr., P.A. Our family will be more intentional than ever about being grateful we get to cele- brate Christmas together and what Christmas really means for us (for us into eter- nity much more than just 2020). Reading the Christmas story during this time is a way to stay focused on the real meaning of Christmas and not get caught up on the shopping and to-dos that can be so draining. We wish everyone in our com- munity a BLESSED Christmas! Cynthia J. Arevalo, Esq., The Law Offices of Cynthia Arevalo This COVID Christmas, as usual, I still plan to go door-to-door in my neighborhood, singing Christmas carols with several friends who have better voices than I do. Then we often walk to Mizner Park to listen to the musical Christmas tree and to Sanborn Square to take photos with the life-sized Nativity Scene. Deborah Cusick, FAU Campus Volunteer, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Having our grandson (and his parents) visit our home in Florida for the first time, while taking COVID precautions. Debra A. Schwinn, President, Palm Beach Atlantic University “My family and I will volunteer at our home church to serve in hospitality and parking. This season, more than ever, has put a strain on volunteers, but grate- fully there are opportunities to serve. Thankful for opportunity to help our church reach others for Christ as we are holding live-in person worship serv- ices. In addition, we will have ZOOM Christmas Morning with the Grandparents who cannot travel.” Dennis DeMarois, CEO/Executive Director, Gathering Palm Beach If COVID is still rampant, our daughter and son-in-law will cancel their long flight to visit us for Christmas. If that happens, then we have talked about either using Zoom or our Facebook Portals to be online together most of the day. We have some routines we can do together (opening presents, meals, and there is a way to watch a movie together), and though it won't be the same (breaking my heart to think about), we praise God for the technology! Also, our daughter's birthday is Dec. 26th. We would do a portion of that day the same way. Dolores King-St. George, President, King Communications and GraceNet Radio Amanda Forman William “Bill” C. Davell Bob Denison Chip LaMarca Chris Lane Craig Huston Wants to Know… Char Talmadge