8/3/2019 Xmas Ltr 2011 Color

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Our new address: John & Robin Wilkins222 Shadow Mountain Dr., Apt. 27El Paso, TX 79912

Emails (unchanged)  John: johnwilkins68@yahoo.comRobin: robinsky75@hotmail.com

Phones:  John: 915-525-3451Robin: 915-525-4199

Merry Christmas 2011 …and

2010by John E. Wilkins 

Dear Friends and Family:

Apologies for no Christmas letter lastyear. And apologies to those of you whodidn’t get our “email only” Christmas let-ter from 2009.Aside from financial con-straints that cut into our holiday corre-spondence budget, 2010 was rather brutalphysically, psychologically, and spiritually for us. Our frameof mind and joy quotient in the last quarter of 2010 hoveredsomewhere between low and depleted, and was not con-ducive to writing a happy-feely holiday letter. So, we optedout. With the benefit of hindsight and a refreshed perspec-tive on the sovereignty of God and His many blessings past,present, & future, we are able to send much gladder tidingsthis year.

 JourneysWe bid farewell in this life to my Aunts Norma Lawrence (in

late summer 2010) and Nell Long (in early summer 2011).We also lost Robin’s “Aunt” Betty Welfring in spring 2011.While we miss them all and appreciate God’s gift to us inthe form of their lives, we rejoice they are now in the pres-ence of Christ. We also rejoice at the gifts of new niecesMadeleine Wilkins (2009), Madison Beals (2011), and EllaShindo (2011). New nephews are Levi Keller (2010) andMalaki Wilkins (2011). Congrats to graduates: nieces Re-becca Shindo (college 2010) and Naomi Wilkins (college2011), and to nephew Alex Wilkins (high school 2011).

Speaking of School

In early 2010 I started pursuit of a Bachelor of Science de-gree in Criminal Justice Administration at University ofPhoenix. The eventual goal is to serve law enforcementfrom a clerical or crime and intelligence analysis capacity(not CSI stuff…think number-crunching, research and statsthat helps serve law enforcement tactical and strategyneeds). It has been a hard journey attempting to re-toolmy career skillset while battling disabling illnesses, but Godhas been faithful.

I currently hold a 3.98 GPA—by the grace of God—and myestimated date of completion is June 26, 2012. I will start

immediately into graduate school aroundthat time in the Master of Science/Administration of Justice and Securityprogram.

East to WestIn mid-September of 2011 we moved fromEl Paso’s east side to the west side. Weare now ten minutes away from Robin’swork (she is still at Desert Communica-tions, Inc.), 12 minutes away from our newer church home (since 2010 we’ve

been members of Grace Bible Fellowship),and 18 minutes away from my school (University of Phoenix).We are so grateful for the three years Mom took us in after my health tanked and we fell flat on our faces in just aboutevery way possible. We were able to regain some legs (albeitwobbly) and move into our new apartment home, a two-bedroom warm and spacious abode we affectionately callWilkins Cottage. Manny loves it as well, and has periodic vis-its from an orange tabby we have given theoriginal nickname “Red.”

Surgical Strike

As I write this I await landing on the operat-ing room table in a few days to undergogastric bypass surgery (GBS). This will helpaddress a number of issues aside from obe-sity. Weight loss surgery can stop or at least drastically mini-mize issues I have such as severe GERD, sleep apnea, highblood pressure, etc. We are grateful for this procedure, andsee it as the first step to a radical lifestyle change.

Robin has faced a few health issues as well, including arthritisappearing in various areas of her body. She is also looking atthe possibility of undergoing knee replacement surgery on

her right knee sometime in the future.

We are grateful for you, our friends and familywho have upheld us in your thoughts andprayers & tangible gifts these past few years

as we’ve encountered these various trials. In closing, wewish each and every one of you the blessed comfort of God’sgrace through the gift of his Son Jesus Christ. For He rescuedus from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the king-dom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, theforgiveness of sins. (Col. 3:13-14). A blessed Christmas to youall!