Our family sends this prayer to each of you and to your
families as we await the Light of the World, Jesus Christ Our Savior.
“Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ: grace to you and peace. We
give thanks to God always for all of you, remembering you in our
prayers, unceasingly calling to mind your work of faith and labor of love and
endurance in hope of our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father, knowing,
brothers loved by God, how you were chosen.” 1Thes 1:1-4
Come Holy Spirit and enrich our lives. We have all been
called to this place, at this time, for Your purpose. Help us to accept Your
call as did Mary and Joseph, in faith without knowing why they were chosen.
May we come to recognize you in our spouses, in our
neighbors, and in those we do not yet know—because if we search, you are in
each of us, manifested in the love we have for each other.
May we become more like You: unrecognizable by our humble
faith and memorable because of our actions in love.
Our family thanks You for the richness of friends and the
wealth of health. And we remember with love and thanksgiving all of those we
have given back to you this year.
We thank you for the communities in which we live and work—Toledo,
Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Avon/Gypsum, CO.
We thank you for the blessing of wonderful employees and loyal
clientele at the places ==where we are so fortunate to gather daily amongst
friends—USS Polaris, Upah Tax Service, Loras Seminary, North Tama and Eagle
Valley Schools, HyVee, and Coe College.
Our family asks for your continued blessings on Andy and his
fellow seminarians as they discern Your call to their vocations. Guide the
priests and all religious who serve them and us. May the leadership of the Church
continue to guide all Christians to truth and to forming God’s promised Holy,
Apostolic, and unified body of Christ.
We thank you and ask your blessings on the staff and
volunteers that we have come to know through in any way at St. Patrick’s, Holy
Cross, St. Mary’s and St. Pius churches; The Alexander House marriage
enrichment ministry; and Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center.
We thank you for the gifts of Colby (4) and Karolina (2)
who’s hugs, smiles, innocence, mischief and sweetness remind us constantly of
the blessings of all children. May all parents and grandparents be guided in
teaching their children to live in faith.
Our family asks for the protection of the tiny baby growing
inside of Kristy. May Kristy and Tyler’s anticipation for new life, become contagious
attitudes for new life throughout the world, so that the most innocent, the
pre-born will be given the regard and blessing of Your most heavenly miracle,
birth.
We ask your continued guidance on life’s coaches, especially
Stan and myself, Andy, Sara and Luke, and Kristy & Tyler. Thank you for the
blessings we have received through the couples, religious ed students, and
athletes we coach and mentor. May every spouse, student and athlete become a
large part of a much larger team. We praise each achievement and ask you to lead
us to train others in Your Spirit, to a greater life challenge with a greater
reward, heaven.
We pray for the protection of educators and students. May
Sara, Luke and Tyler as educators and Andy, Sara and Kristy, as students, serve
You in greater knowledge.
We pray for Your grace on families, especially in those
families who’s spouses seek enrichment through Godly instruction. Open the
lines of communication and give us the courage to serve each other, dying to
self and living as Christ lived: suffering, forgiving unconditionally and
finding joy and hope by trusting in God’s will. May these words guide us:
“Love is patient, love
is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is
not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does
not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with
the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures
all things. Love never fails.” 1 Cor
13: 4-8
“In God all things are
possible.”
And when all is said and done, what truly matters is that
“Thy Will Be Done.”
Thank you for granting me my prayer, the greatest gift on
earth, our family to be together this Christmas –see the picture below.
May each of you be as blessed this Christmas as we have been.
AMEN!!
Charlotte & Stan Upah; Andy Upah, Sara, Luke, Colby and
Karolina Cross and Kristy, Tyler & Baby Staker
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