Nelson Family in 2012

Dear Beloved Reader,

No time for small talk! Following previous years, we reminisce over the year thru candid interviews with each member of the family. [And once again this year, Elliot has written our letter.]

Emily is in her senior year of high school, and is rarely home for more than a few minutes before driving off in Peter’s car, or when necessary, chauffeuring him to and from church as she goes from school to the barn to work or friends or youth group.

Why are you so busy?

Emily: I need to get money to take care of my horse, and I have to be educated, and I like to have friends.

How is Snickers? [Emily’s horse]

Emily: She’s a little too fat... she could stand to lose a couple hundred pounds. She’s getting better at jumping over jumps and not plowing into them.

What do you do for your job?

Emily: I watch dogs to make sure they hold back any hostile feelings they have toward one another. My favorite dog is Pilot, who I like, despite incessant barking, purely because she is giddy and bears a striking resemblance to Rochester’s Pilot, of Jane Eyre, my favorite novel I’ve read this year.

Describe your ideal marriage proposal.

Emily: It has to be somewhere epic, and it needs to be a surprise - it can’t be so obvious that I’m like “oh, ok, duh”...somewhere like watching the sun come up.

Where are you going to college?

Emily: Don’t ask that question.

How is everyone’s driving holding up?

Emily: I used to think Dad was a perfect, really smooth driver, but he tries to teach nearby drivers lessons and just makes them mad. Mom can be alright, but once she just turned right into oncoming traffic...we had to let her know. Jeremy is pretty confident I guess. Elliot doesn’t drive, he may not remember how...he’s a little jerky and hesitant, and not sure what to do. And today I was so frustrated at obnoxious drivers and red lights that I nearly broke off the steering wheel.

Jeremy is a junior at Gordon College, studying art and kinesiology, and has enjoyed his Design 2 and Sports Psychology classes. As captain of the lacrosse team, he maintains an intense commitment to perfecting his performance on the field and setting an example for his teammates. Every day he runs, lifts, does rehab for his muscle strains, and “hits the wall” to fine tune his throwing. Living in an apartment with five other guys, Jeremy is free of Gordon’s agonizing food service, and is now the captain of his own diet as well.

What are some features of your weekly grocery trip?

Jeremy: I go for broccoli, carrots, green beans, peppers and zucchini (red or yellow when on sale)... asparagus - I like to snag a couple of stalks and munch on ‘em between meals. Every week I throw brown rice, veggies, pasta sauce, and meat into the frying pan for a massive jambalaya mix. I’ve been dabbling with kale, and often try to bring some flax into the mix. This summer I went through a raw eggs phase.

How are your injuries going?

Jeremy: Well, I’ve had a torn labrum, chronic shoulder tendonitis, 2nd degree groin strain, 1st degree gracilis strain, lower back disc extrusion and herniation, and possibly a psychosomatic disorder. I might just be in the clear.

You’re trying to set a good example of apartment maintenance for your roommates?

Jeremy: My roommates’ mismanagement of the stove has led to the melting of several kitchen devices, and a rather extensive oil fire. Decaying chicken with a pale green hue has been found in our fridge. So yeah, I’m trying to give some guidance and encouragement.

Any post-college plans yet?

Jeremy: Bome [Elliot] and I are going to enter the wine and chocolate testing business... once we’re established we’re gonna tour all the finest confectioneries in Europe.

Elliot continues his intrepid exploration of the cosmos at Penn State, where he spends his hours learning and pondering the laws of the universe, and surprisingly being paid to do so, as he works towards a PhD in physics.

You always wear the same old maroon hoodie and blue sweat pants and you look like a hobo.

Elliot: Yes, thank you.

How was ‘The Hobbit’?

Gollum and Bilbo were great, many scenes from the book were great, Peter Jackson’s embellishments were disappointing…Lord of the Rings remains in a league of its own.

How’s research going?

Elliot: Really well. I’m involved in a few projects, all of which aim to understand cosmological inflation, an explosive event during which the early universe expanded by a factor of 10³⁰ in less than 10^-30 seconds.

That seems impossible, or at least wildly speculative.

Elliot: It may sound that way, but it can explain in a unique way why the universe looks like it does, and why stars and galaxies could form in the first place.

So, how do you reconcile early universe cosmology with the idea of God as the origin of the cosmos?

Elliot: “God” need not be an ad hoc addition to get things started...the laws of Nature are rooted in God, and the universe comes from God like water from a fountain. We see His beauty in its physical structure.

You started going to a new prayer group this year?

Elliot: Yes, we are trying to follow the way of life of the early Christians - one of continual prayer and pursuit of God, even at great cost. It’s challenging, but very exciting.

Your annual book recommendation?

Elliot: Jesus and the Victory of God. It’s a remarkable book that, over 700 pages, takes you back to the 1st-century Jewish world and shows you who Jesus really was, and how he viewed the world.

It was observed this year that you have the shortest head in the family.

Elliot: ...Yes...that is a true statement. I have the shortest head. Thank you.

Cheryl wields a subtle power as chief organizer of the affairs of the Nelson manor. But in a moment of madness, she opened the pandora’s box of cable TV, and has since descended into disarray. History is strangely reversed, as Cheryl’s TV usage must now be monitored by her children.

If you could only watch Downton Abbey or HGTV, which would it be?

Cheryl: Ooohh, that’s a painful choice. I guess I’d have to say Downton... it’s such a delightful escape. I’ve been watching season 3 online. It has been quite surprising... Matthew and Mary [this sentence censored due to spoilers]... and there is one really surprising development.

What sort of things have you been involved in at church?

Cheryl: I’ve been helping to lead a young women’s bible study... we’re working through some of the diverse ways in which the New Testament authors present Jesus. It’s been a highlight of my week. I’ve also been coordinating a young couples class on marriage and parenting.

What else have you been up to this year?

Cheryl: Hahaha...welllll...I hung out with my daughter... and my dog. I make lattes and scones for Elliot and Jeremy when they come home. Oh, and I helped redecorate the front of the church sanctuary and installed some new wall hangings.

What species is each family member most like?

Cheryl: Emily is like a leopard - she watches and observes from a distance, and she’s artistic. Jeremy is like a lone wolf - he’s relentless in pursuit of his goal. Peter is an ant - he’s organized and works really hard. Elliot is an ostrich - he says unexpected things.

Ostriches say unexpected things?

Cheryl: Yeah... they do.

Peter continues in his magisterial role as senior pastor at Goshen Baptist Church, boldly shepherding the flock, aided by trusty staff and elders in the great work of leading the church. He returns home each Sunday afternoon, makes a beeline to the refrigerator still in suit and tie (“What do we have to eat?”), then settles in for a glance at the NFL, and finally flops over on the couch for a nap. On other days, he resides immovably in his “bee” chair in the living room, occasionally rising from his changeless vigil to engage Charlie, the dog, in a rousing chorus of canine howling. Most notably, Peter has acquired a pair of new “cool urban jeans.”

What have you been preaching on?
Peter: Just finished a series on 1 John... one of the strongest themes is the assurance of God’s love. Earlier this year I went through Colossians, looked at key themes in Proverbs, and I also did a series on “Faith under Fire” responding to objections against Christianity.

How has the young men’s discipleship group been going?

Peter: We eat bagels… And we’ve been going through my book and have had some really great discussions.

Who did you vote for in the election?

Peter: I considered all options. I took action as I saw fit.

And a book recommendation?

Peter: I’ll go with a website rather than book this time—lots of spiritually helpful and challenging materials at The Gospel Coalition.

Charlie the dog, despite appearing docile and tranquil in his “I-heart-Tim-Tebow” doggie vest, ascended to new heights of frenzy and paranoia this year. Among Charles’ many peculiarities are: nervous fascination with balloons, phobia of placemats, extreme terror of farts and other odd noises, and hysterical, euphoric reactions to long-absent family members returning home. Although finding himself in an increasingly unstable and frantic state, Charles is always committed to living the examined life, and continues to grapple with the nature of reality and his place in the cosmos. When pressed to share his thoughts, he could only tell us that he is “full of fluffies” and enjoys being “smuzzered.”

And so we close. To get a glance at our year, take a look at the pictures below. And come visit us in Pennsylvania if you get the chance!

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One more note: 2012 was the year we said goodbye to Grandma Connie, Peter’s mother. In February her long battle with cancer and related ailments reached an end, and so she is now “absent from the body and present with the Lord.” We thank God for her life, and we rest in the hope of unending life with Christ this Christmas.

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“Though he, Christ Jesus, was in the form of God,
he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.”

(Philippians 2:6)

Merry Christmas!

Peter, Cheryl, Elliot, Jeremy, and Emily Nelson

916 North Hill Dr.

West Chester, PA 19380

610-430-1231

(peterknelson@gmail.com; cherylbj@gmail.com; elliot137@gmail.com; jerm912@gmail.com; emilynelson23@gmail.com)