Jason and Jonie Mellinger Connecting You to Tribal Missions 
Though we were not expecting to be on this continent for Christmas, we were so happy to be able to spend it with my (Jason’s) mom and dad, my brothers, their wives and the nephew and niece that we’d never met.
The trip to PA from Arizona was just as eventful as the rest of our lives. We arrived at the airport at 6 am to leave at 7:30 and be in PA by 5. However, 3000 men in uniform that were sitting at the terminal waiting on standby for seats to see their families. We decided to give up our seats and go on a later flight so at least 2 could get out that morning. However, our luggage would stay on the plane and meet us there at our final destination. We finally left Arizona almost 4 hours later, arriving in Dallas to find out that our connecting flight was cancelled because of snow in PA.
For 4 hours we tried to get out of there, running to every terminal checking every airline, trying to get on another flight. Finally, hot, sweaty, and rejected by every airline going to every airport within a 6 hour drive of home we put our powers combined into figuring out how to get out of Texas. I spent over an hour on the phone. I had to call 2 airlines and Orbitz travel agency. Since I didn’t have the time to spend on hold with each of them individually I hogged two pay phones, with one on each ear trying to sort things out. Meanwhile, Jonie got online and got directions from NY Laguardia airport which seemed to be our only possibility, if I could work out the flights, as well as rental cars.
We did arrive in NY about 10:30pm to find that rental cars and connecting flights weren’t going to work, so my brother had to drive over 3 hours to come and get us. We finally arrived at his home at 4 am. The most annoying part of the whole thing was our flight was delayed because it was supposed to snow, however it didn’t actually start snowing until 14 hours AFTER our flight was to arrive, and now all of our luggage was stuck at another terminal. For 3 days we had no clothes to change into until we realized they were never going to deliver it, and I just drove down and picked it up.
But we did get snow! We did have a white Christmas. We couldn’t go out and play in it since all our warm clothes were in our lost luggage. But it was well worth being there for the 16 inches we got. Being stuck at Mom and Dad’s with the family and the kids was great. We played lots of games and bribed the kids, with food, well at least Gabe. He’ll eat anything!
Christmas Day as an adult is very different than it was 20 years ago! The best thing about it this year was Gabe and Hayley. Though Hayley just kind of laid there, Gabe was a lot of fun. It didn’t take long for Gabe to be accept me as a part of his little life, including my name in his scant vocabulary. What a riot he was! A daily part trip was hours and hours of games that we played together, including Farckle, Settlers of Catan (in many forms and varieties) and enough video games until 3 or 4 in the morning that I couldn’t close my eyes without seeing the crosshairs of my alien annihilating scope.
But it wasn’t all fun and games. We were able to spend time with hundreds of our supporters through three church services, three open houses, a few dinners, lunches and/or breakfast’s. We’ve now shown our picture show more than a few dozen times. We’ve got two more that we know of, but as we come across individuals they seem to get a private showing. We’re certainly looking forward to getting new pictures!
Though the snow delay at the airport ruined the tradition of all of us going to get the christmas tree together, we found time to partake of another tradition, the neighborhood Christmas caroling tour. Those of the neighbors who are young enough to walk around town will brave the cold and ice to bring sounds of the season to the elderly and shut-ins of our community. It’s been several years since I’ve participated in this tradition, and I couldn’t believe that for the most part we were singing to the same people that we did when I was a kid. How old are these people now? Though singing (for me) is about as much fun as a sinus infection, hanging out with my brother was definitely worth it. Pushing each other in the snow, hiding in the bushes to see if the rest of the group would see us as they walked past (they never did), it was like we were kids again except that now we each had wives to add to the chastisement of our mother to cool it and grow up. Phooey on all three of you! Christmas is a time for slush balls mixed with gravel hurled with precise accuracy at the center of your siblings back, the shrapnel of which may cause collateral damage, but that’s the price people pay to be part of our traditions!
We were also able to go out with an old friend for lunch at Cracker Barrel. What a good friend and supporter he’s been over the years! He, more than anyone I know, is my example of unconditional love taking care of his wife, paralyzed by MS for maybe 30 years, until he couldn’t even lift himself off the bed. Though it’s very difficult for him to get around, and needs care himself, he still spends every day for her. What an incredible picture of Christ!
