Okay, we have waited as long as possible to pen our 2017 Christmas letter. As you can see from the picture, Kelley and Mike are getting ready to welcome a new member of the family into this world.
This marks the 30 anniversary of our Christmas letter. And each letter has included a brief update on our family activities as well as some observations about the year. This year, we have observed the “spectrum of life.” While we are delighted to be welcoming a new addition to the family, there was some sadness in saying goodbye to Jean’s sister, Carla. She had a zest for life, but ultimately God called her home after a courageous 17 year battle with cancer. Dana continues to wonder when I’m going to vacate my office. Ostensibly it is because she has taken on additional responsibilities here at TranzAct, but I think it has more to do with the fact that she needs some more space for her burgeoning wine collection. Kelley and Mike bought a new home so they would have a place to bring their son to on the big day. Patrick and Joe continue to give me a crash course in Millennial thinking. In addition to his fledgling real estate empire, Patrick is now working at two hospitals –one in Chicago and one in Miami. Using his “Millennial Magic” he is able to routinely find plane tickets between Miami and Chicago for under $100. He enjoys both cities, so why not work there as well. Joe continues to enjoy his time in our Brokerage group, but has also decided that this traveling gig can be kind of fun for him too. So, whether it’s spur of the moment trips to visit friends in North Carolina, New York, or even France, it’s no big deal. It’s called Millennial thinking.
As we come to the end of the year, I was thinking about the rancor and divisiveness that seems to permeate the news on a 24/7 basis. It’s become a bit tiresome. It makes you wonder why we are so quick to want to slap labels on individuals. This year, one of my mentors, Doug Coe, passed away. Doug was unabashedly in love with Jesus and he was committed to spreading that love into the lives of those he called “Friends.” He led an influential ministry that positively affected the lives of leaders around the world. Several years ago while traveling with Doug to places like India and Pakistan, I was shocked by his ability to bring people together—people who were, at least in the eyes of the press, bitter enemies. Yet as we watched them interact with Doug, they showed genuine affection for each other. When we asked Doug the secret to effecting reconciliation, he smiled and said, “If I can get them seeing Jesus’s arm around the shoulders of their enemies, these enemies can become friends.”
Could you imagine how our politics – heck, even the world would change if we understood that Jesus doesn’t discriminate. He loves our adversaries as much as He loves us. Perhaps that is why it is written: “If I (Jesus) be lifted up, I will draw all men to me.”
Throughout America and much of the world, families will gather to celebrate the Holidays and honor their beliefs and traditions. In our house, we look forward to celebrating our belief that a little bit over 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son to put His arm around us and remind us of His awesome love for us. And each and every day, He is reaching out to give each and every one of us a “spiritual bear hug” that reminds us of that love and He gives us a great reason to celebrate our relationship with Him. As you gather with your families or special loved ones to celebrate the Holidays, on behalf of our family, may God’s love, grace and “spiritual bear hugs” shine down upon you and envelop you and your loved ones throughout the New Year.
The Regan Family
