.: our christmas letter :.

We wake to find ourselves virtually at the end of another year... and what a year it has been! On December 30, 2006, we were married in a beautiful ceremony at Burlington Lutheran Church, followed by a snug reception at the Hillcrest Lodge (Mount Vernon). The day flew by so quickly for both of us, but our memories include feeling overwhelmed by the loving support of everyone around us... and having to go back to the lodge after our grand exit so that Dave could get his keys. Our hearts are full of recollections about taking the next blessed step of marriage and entering into our new life together.

That new life has been full! Our honeymoon took us through both Seattle (watching the fireworks over the Space Needle from the Westin) and Leavenworth (getting snowed in at the Enzian Inn). From January to April, Dave had the opportunity to serve in a college ministry ("Monday Monday") as a part of his church internship under Pastor Bill Mueller. This was a great time, spent getting to know some of the students that attend the junior college in our town. In March, Kelly threw a surprise birthday party for Dave (who turned the big 3-0). Much of the Spring and Summer consisted of numerous trips down to Safeco Field to cheer on the Seattle Mariners. In fact, we attended our first ever "Opening Day" game, which was one of our favorites. The only downer was having Dave's car get broken into during a subsequent evening game, though it turned out to be a positive thing in the end (a new car stereo!). And many-a-time, we were "thunderstruck" by the pitching of closer J.J. Putz. In June, we packed three adventures into one. It began with a couple days at Crescent Bar in Eastern WA with Dave's folks, followed by camping at Lake Easton with Dave's sister, and finishing with Kelly's side of the family at Lake Cle Elum. We both attempted to fish, though our efforts were in vain. It was still good practice for our time at Diablo Lake in August (our first catch of the season).

One of the biggest changes in Kelly's life came in August through the arrival of the new principal at Washington Elementary. Despite her being different from the previous principal, Kelly has been blessed with a good working relationship with her. In August, Dave had the privilege of returning the favor to one of his groomsmen by being in his wedding In Toronto. This was our biggest trip of the year as a couple. Once the ceremony was over, we traveled to one of the greatest honeymoon sites in the world, Niagara Falls. We still reminisce about our adventures on the "Maid of the Mist", getting drenched in Bridal Veil Falls, and taking in the evening fireworks over Horseshoe Falls.

About the time you receive this letter, Dave will have finished his last Regent class ever. All he has left to do now is learn the Hebrew language and he will be on his way to officially receiving his Masters of Divinity (a journey he first began in January 2004). This next summer, we will begin the search for where the Lord might lead Dave to serve as a pastor. It is our heart's desire that we stay in the Northwest, but we are excited to see what God has in store for us both.

Each of you has played a special part in our first year as a married couple. Thanks for all your support and encouragement. May God bless you now and throughout the year to come!

In His Name,
Dave & Kelly McAllister

.: a cure for this pain :.

This is for the days when we do not feel like ourselves. We have seen that face a million times before, but the person looking back at us is far from recognizable. This is for the days when the sadness that echoes within our hearts finally overtakes us. We have dodged its glancing blows, but our strength has finally failed us. This is for the days when life just does not seem manageable. We each are only one person, and can only do so much with what we have been given. This is for the days when it seems like this may never end. We tell ourselves that we just need to get used to it, and we settle into troublesome acceptance. This is for the days when we feel like it all is a little too much. The weight has finally tipped our emotional scales, and we find ourselves scrambling to make sense of it all. This is for the days when we feel out of it. Each morning finds us in a place that we never expected to feel trapped by. This is for the days when we no longer like the person that we see. We had been learning to be more comfortable in our own skin, but that all seems lost now. This is for the days when we forget who we are. The places that we were called to stand in now remain empty. This is for the days that are over even before they begin. We are tired of playing all the games in which we cheat, knowing full well that we are only cheating ourselves. This is for the days when we feel like we are burning from the inside out. Who was it that taught us to make ourselves as crazy as we do? This is for the days when we feel like we have made the hugest mistake. This path had felt like it was so right, but now it seems like things may not work out. This is for the days when we are able to love everyone but ourselves. We know our own flaws far too well to ever reason with the acceptance of another soul. This is for the days when we feel like the biggest inconvenience. We are convinced that everyone is laughing at our situation, only to bite their lips when we enter the room. This is for the days when it hurts even to breathe. We could not bear enough of all our doubts to ever be set free from them. This is for the days when we swear that no one is coming for us. It is terrifying to realize the sort of trust that our lives demand. This is for the days when the light in our eyes seems to have gone out. The luster that once drew them closer is suddenly gone and we drift from memory to memory. This is for the days when our lives feel shattered by the mistakes and tragedies that we never asked for. The night has enveloped us completely, and our eyes cannot help but fall closed. This is for the days when we are a little too much, or maybe just not enough. We rush back into hiding with the hope that our glory years will be in the mental forefront of every spectator. This is for the days when we are no longer attracted to ourselves. It seems like the best that we can hope for is that there is something within us that is somehow appealing. This is for days such as these, the ones that we will never find a way to avoid. They cannot be scheduled, for they arrive only at a time when they can cause the most damage. And though we do everything we can to hold on in the thick of every one of them, we know that somehow they shape us into who we are becoming. We desperately need the very things that we so deeply detest. The rain comes down for a reason - we can trust even in this one truth! Fear not; it will not wash you away. The sorrow that you now feel will work so as to carry you on through the similar days still to come. Though we wonder what wisdom could ever come of this, rest assured that we will one day be proven wrong. For there is One working so that regret and anguish will not have the final word in our lives. His blessings will fashion something beautiful in each and every child that welcomes His unhindered touch. He alone can separate us from the desperation that we so often feel left to cling to. We can come into the light, boldly or with the greatest of caution, for He has promised to meet us in that very place. But even more, we can be comforted by the reality that even in the darkest of times, He is there beside us.