We are having a wonderful time with the Johnson side of the family in Victoria, B.C. for Christmas. Saturday a few of the gang visited Fort Rodd Hill (pictures to come later), where we visited a fort and a lighthouse, with lots of history thrown in.

 Bohnanza was the game for tonight—if you haven’t played it I would recommend it very much. Lots of noisy trading and “bean planting.”

Tomorrow we head up the island to Courtenay (pronounced “Courtney”) to visit more family. I’ve never seen the rough terrain along the road, called the Malahat, but it promises to be beautiful.

I’ve been studying Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55) by following the trails of all the O.T. references. A couple years ago my friend Ed Myers introduced me to the biblical theme of remembrance—one facet of which is God remembering His people. This theme is popping up all over in Luke 1! God remembered Rachel in giving her Joseph (Gen. 30:23; verse referred to by Elizabeth in Luke 1:25); He remembered Hannah by giving her Samuel (1 Sam. 1:11; Mary refers to the verse in 1:48); and He remembered Israel “in remembrance of His mercy” (Luke 1:54; Mary quoting Psalm 98:3).

May we remember Christ this season and this year.

Meg