Advent 2010

Advent 2010
“Are you the king?”

Dear Family & Friends:

For two Advent seasons, the annual writing of the Winchell family Christmas letter has proven difficult. Then this week I came across the Advent reading in which Herod asks Jesus, “Are you the king?” Jesus explains that he is, but not in the way that Herod might expect. As he puts it, his kingdom is not of this world. I have struggled in these last two years to come to terms with Jesus’ claim, to accept a spirituality that doesn’t always “fix” the problems in THIS world, in my world. I have longed for a kingdom—a peaceful, loving, healthy, visible kingdom. As it turns out, this is not the way God usually chooses to become involved in our lives or our world.

Many of you celebrated with us as we welcomed our daughter Moriah in July of 2009. Her Down syndrome diagnosis moments after her birth—followed in the next year by countless medical appointments, hospitalizations, therapies, open heart surgery, and a seizure disorder—were not at all what we had anticipated. Having put our plans for biological children on hold for years as we adopted Orilüs and Jackson, navigated Orilüs’ bone marrow transplant, and helped the boys to re-settle into life post-transplant, we were expecting to be “rewarded” with a healthy baby. We have struggled in these last 17 months with what sometimes has seemed like a cruel cosmic joke. Jesus, we have asked, are you the king? Where, we wondered, was God’s power, his healing, his peace, his ability to set things right?

We—maybe I should say, I—wrestle still with these questions. But we have “seen the star,” so to speak, and this Advent, we want this letter to reflect our gratitude for the ways in which God has been Incarnate in our lives. He does not come as we expect—a king to rule—but he comes as a quiet and lowly presence, comforting even as he disrupts. This Advent, we are thankful for the ways in which Moriah’s birth disrupted our family. In retrospect, so much good has been birthed of her diagnosis. We moved quite abruptly to West Bridgewater to be nearer to Jason’s family; though we loved Lynn, we recognized that we were going to need the help of family nearby. Their support and the support of my own family have restored us many, many times this year. The “family” we have added since our move—in a loving church, a wonderful Early Intervention staff, medical personnel, and friends through our Down syndrome support groups—has given us courage and hope. We’re grateful for new jobs for us both—Jason at Stoughton High School, and me at Massasoit Community College and UMass Boston. Orilüs and Jackson (7th and 6th grade, respectively) are flourishing in their new school, in youth group, and as well-known basketball players in the town and school leagues. We’re grateful to see the ways that their lives have been enriched by living in a more rural locale, attending classes in small public schools, and walking back and forth to Grandma and Papa’s house. And, we are especially grateful this Advent for the health of our children. Orilüs’ bone marrow transplant worked miracles in his life; he is healthy, medication-free, and unrestricted in his activity. Moriah has overcome much in her 17 months, and she, too, is alive thanks to some serious medical intervention. We are grateful for that mercy.

This Advent, our family’s prayer is that we might accept the loving inner workings of God, even as our lived experience is not all we anticipated. We are not yet sure what this season of unfulfilled expectation will cultivate in our family’s inner life. Like you, we use Advent as a time to anticipate, to contemplate the mystery of Christ’s kingship, and to hope that his love-kingdom might enlarge our hearts and renew our spirits.

With our love, Melissa for Team Winchell
now at 358 Spring Street
W. Bridgewater, MA 02379