Christmas Letter 2018

Dear Friends,
So this year, I made Christmas cards.  That’s right, I’ve wanted to do it since last Christmas when I failed to send out cards.  I didn’t finish.  And I just could not figure out what my inspiration would be this year for my letter.

So here I am again, sending my letter at the last minute through Facebook.  There’s always next year - just you wait.  I’m going to start the process in July.

Nevertheless, thanks to Facebook, I don’t really need to take the time to catch you up on my year too much.  Everything is fairly normal, (we’ll take normal, right?) and the bakery that I worked on for so long finally opened in June.  My sister, Crystal Lukens, owns the business and to no surprise, people are raving about her food.  I own, renovated and designed the building and basically branded it and said, “Go for it, sister.”  I still help with marketing, and if I have time when I’m in there and they’re busy, you might find me washing dishes, busing tables, etc.  Everything we do is a family affair.

I will tell that I love the experience offered at the bakery.  Crystal has a great team down there and the community seems to really enjoy it.  Watching people come in and show appreciation for the design or the food is great...but it is watching people reminisce when viewing the old photos or simply enjoying time with family or friends that is the most rewarding for me.  Of course, the highlights are when my friends come to the bakery - whether it is from around the corner or from many states away - just seeing people you care about enjoy your efforts is what makes it all worth it.  I’m obviously biased, but to me, Rise Above It Bakery & Cafe is like a little beacon of light, creating a vibe that I just think our small town needed.  And that in itself, is a gift from God.  It compliments some other downtown gems and I hope to see more to come from renovators and entrepreneurs.

Which leads me to the next project.  Most of you should already know that I purchased another downtown building, just two doors down from the bakery.  And all of you know, the main reason for this is because I always need a project (but it more than that, more on that later).  This building is considerably larger than the bakery, probably more of a fixer upper because of that, and has three storefronts with one space currently rented to a fish/tackle shop.  It was built at least by 1908, likely earlier, and the business that was probably there the longest was MacKellar’s Bakery, which started in 1908 and closed sometime in the late 1940s. I have some ideas of what I would like to do with the space, but right now, I’m just trying to focus on pealing back the layers that have covered up the original building, showing the exposed brick, tin ceilings and taking it all step-by-step.  More to come and you can keep up with the progress on Facebook through J. Spence Properties page.

All that to say, over the recent years, I have really developed a passion for history.  While most of this is focused on my hometown area, it doesn’t stop there.  If I’m watching a movie or listening to a sermon, I find myself getting online to dig a little deeper.  During renovation of the bakery, I actually buried a time capsule - a small tin container with not much room, but among the items, it included a jump drive of historical photos and a letter with the history of the building and my story of renovating it.  I did that, because during renovations, I’m always hoping to find a glimpse of the past behind the wall.  Something that gives the process more meaning for me.  Something that says I’m doing my part on extending the building’s history and the legacy of its previous owners.

I turned 50 this year.  Maybe that sounds young to you, maybe it sounds old.  To me, it said that I needed to get more done while I can.  I know it is just 50, but mentally, it makes you shift gears a bit and consider how your life is making an impact and what will your legacy be.  I don’t mean famous.  I mean inspiring those around you.  Like Stephanie Stephens Balmer, an ADPi friend from my Murray State days.  Stephanie was Harpeth Hall’s Head of School when she passed and in the short amount of time that she was at that Nashville school, it was incredible the positive impact that she made on the students, faculty and parents. She inspired goodness, simply put.  And when you see that, it makes you think - I need to do my part.

Legacy also means making a difference.  How many times can I watch, “It’s A Wonderful Life” during the holidays, seriously?  But I love it, for so many reasons, one of those being that it showed George Bailey that even in small towns, playing your part is important and you do make a difference in people’s lives.

So Christmas...where does that come in...this is a Christmas letter, right?  I first think about Mary.  Do you think legacy mattered to her?  She was humble, to the point that when the angel Gabriel told her to rejoice, that God had found favor with her, she was almost like, “Are you sure?”  It wasn’t until she visited Elizabeth, that “her soul would proclaim the greatness of the Lord” because He found favor in Mary and chose her to play a key role in fulfilling His plan.  His plan was for Mary to give birth to His son, Jesus, who would come into this world to teach us about God’s love and to die for our sins, so we can have everlasting life.

Mary said in Luke, “Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and His name is holy.  His mercy is from generation to generation on those who fear him.”

I know we focus on the story of the nativity at Christmas.  But consider the legacy of Mary.  Where would we be if she did not embrace God’s plan and the role that she played in it? Consider Joseph’s legacy.  He could have sent Mary away or not listened when God told Joseph that his family should flee to Egypt for safety from King Herod’s wrath.  Both Mary and Joseph knew the importance of their role in God’s plan and that their decisions would impact history.

For me, I moved back to my hometown for a few reasons, one of them being a silly dream of changing our downtown, and inspiring folks during the process.  It may not be saving the world, but it is saving mine, and it is simply an obedience of what I think God wants for my life.  To be honest, sometimes I look around at what needs to be done (particularly at my property) and it can be overwhelming.  Then I’m reminded that God is using our lives to show his strength and his love - and just like the angel told Mary - “Nothing is impossible with God.”

What’s your legacy?  For many of you, it is through the blessing of children and grandchildren, as well as the encounters you have each and every day.  I’m not sure what your legacy is, but I can tell you that at the end of my life, what will not matter is my career ranking or bank account balance.  It will be about the difference and investment that we made in others, and for me, if we left our past a little more preserved for our future.

I am so very fortunate that in my life, each of you have made a difference.  I am so grateful for our friendship and the memories that we have, both in the past and for those that I look forward to in the future.  Hope to see you soon and remember, the road is never too long when it leads to a small town bakery.

Merry Christmas,
Jennifer