Virginia Friesen
Making Proper Fusses, In Good Times and Hard

It’s been a month of making joyful “proper fusses” and unfortunately, making sad ones, too.

We ushered in October with me on a plane to the west coast, where, over the next 8 days, I would make five flights and be in 3 cities, making “proper fusses” over very happy events.

First stop: Oakland, CA, where granddaughter Rachel and I landed from our flight in D.C. to celebrate granddaughter Ana’s 13th birthday. The two had conspired during Papa-Gigi Camp back in July that this would be the perfect way to honor this significant birthday milestone, and we all agreed. The week was full of fun, from shopping, crafting, going to the Alameda beach (and swimming!), spending a day with Auntie Lisa, and laughing and talking instead of sleeping. It was just what the girls desired and tears flowed when it came to an end.

Making Proper Fusses, In Good Times and Hard
Virginia Friesen
New Churches, New Hope

Home from Kona on Wednesday, March 4 (off a red-eye), we had a full day counseling on the 5th and then hopped a flight to Boston early on the 6th to speak for the Seven Mile Road Church marriage conference in Melrose, MA.

We were both honored and thrilled to be speaking for the first time for this church, which is home to a number of people we’ve known for many years. Katie O’Hara Ryou (and her husband Marvin) were the instigators of this event and we were so delighted to partner with them. We’ve known Katie since youth group days with our daughters at Grace Chapel, and just in recent years have reconnected with her. She and Marvin attended a conference we spoke for last year in Melrose and that planted the seed for their church hosting us.

New Churches, New Hope
Virginia Friesen
Plan Fail: The Christmas Reunion That Wasn't

We were home the WHOLE month of December and it was good.

We continued walking five miles a day, praying for snow, and preparing for our family Christmas reunion: the first one in New England since 2015 and the first all being together for Christmas since 2019.

We had very high expectations.

Ministry events in December included Engagement Matters, the Patriots women’s study, and LOTS of counseling, but that left plenty of time for decorating the house inside and out, getting together with friends, wrapping and sending packages, sewing Christmas jammies, making gingerbread houses, and preparing for our long-awaited reunion which was to commence the 22nd of December.

Plan Fail: The Christmas Reunion That Wasn't
Virginia Friesen
Around the Country in 22 Days

Since my last post on Dec. 27, we’ve only been home eight days.

Maybe that contributes to me forgetting that when I last wrote, my reflections ended with Engagement Matters (EM), which was held Dec. 4–5, and not after Christmas, which the blog post date would indicate.
Whatever the reasons, before I write about our most recent last three weeks—which literally took us to the four corners of our great nation—we must finish December. Strangely, that seems SO long ago already. But what fun to sift back through my December photo library and have many sweet memories surface.

Around the Country in 22 Days
Virginia Friesen
A Bit of Heaven on Earth

It happened.

The “decades birthday-family reunion” celebration, postponed for a full year, is now in the books, but even more deeply, in our hearts.

It was uncertain until an hour before the six flying from Oakland were to depart due to two lost Covid tests, but mercifully, new tests were done at 6 am, the results of which were registered less than 60 minutes prior to boarding.

The trip was on.

A Bit of Heaven on Earth

Florida

Making Proper Fusses, In Good Times and Hard

Making Proper Fusses, In Good Times and Hard

It’s been a month of making joyful “proper fusses” and unfortunately, making sad ones, too.

We ushered in October with me on a plane to the west coast, where, over the next 8 days, I would make five flights and be in 3 cities, making “proper fusses” over very happy events.

First stop: Oakland, CA, where granddaughter Rachel and I landed from our flight in D.C. to celebrate granddaughter Ana’s 13th birthday. The two had conspired during Papa-Gigi Camp back in July that this would be the perfect way to honor this significant birthday milestone, and we all agreed. The week was full of fun, from shopping, crafting, going to the Alameda beach (and swimming!), spending a day with Auntie Lisa, and laughing and talking instead of sleeping. It was just what the girls desired and tears flowed when it came to an end.

From Snow to Shining Seas

From Snow to Shining Seas

2026 continues at warp speed, supported by the fact that we’ve only been home 10 days since Dec. 28, and of those 10, three have been counseling days, two were marathon baking days for the HIM marriage retreat, and the rest were “turnover” days, consisting of unpacking, doing laundry, and repacking.

And truthfully, we’ve loved every minute of it. What joy is ours that we get to do what we love doing, knowing this is what God has purposed for us. Beyond blessed!

Joy and Sorrow Mingle

Joy and Sorrow Mingle

September has come and gone since my last blog post and it was marked by highs and lows, joys and sorrows. In Cynthia Heald’s book A Woman’s Journey to the Heart of God, she writes a parable of Joy and Sorrow journeying together. When Joy asked the master why Sorrow had to come along, he answered, “Without Sorrow, you would never know Joy.”

So, so true. Sorrow adds definition to the experience of joy, and joy gives hope in the dark valleys of life.