Newsletter: Christmas E-Newsletter

Statement

Dear Friends,

This Christmas I want to thank you all for reading my newsletters throughout the year and for your words of encouragement and support. I was reading some of my past newsletters and found that I could not really express myself much better about this Christmas season than the words I wrote last Christmas. So I am sharing those words again with a few updates; I hope you don't mind.

Every year, on Christmas, we gather with friends and family to celebrate a tradition that spans 2,000 years; inspires millions of Americans and billions of people around the world; and brings out the greatest joys of life -- a sense of meaning, a spirit of generosity and kindness, and a conviction we are all connected in ways that we can hardly imagine.

This week, I will be celebrating Christmas with my wife, Becca, our five children, and our new daughter in law. Like so many other families across Idaho, my family will gather around the Christmas tree, exchange gifts, reflect on the significance on this amazing day, and reflect on the many blessings we have enjoyed over the past year. As we get closer to New Year's Day, we will also set goals for the year ahead and look ahead to the future with a sense of optimism and purpose.

As Americans, we are blessed to live in a country that honors freedom of religion, so that every American is able to celebrate Christmas or whichever holiday undergirds their faith. In fact, freedom of religion is one of the founding principles of our country -- the very first amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Every person -- in America and throughout the world -- has a basic human right to practice their faith without fear of government interference. That right has been cherished throughout American history, and we must never take it for granted.

As your Representative, I also want to say that I am blessed to have the opportunity to serve you in Congress. I am humbled by the responsibilities you have given me, and I want you to know that I work every day to be worthy of your trust. I look forward to representing you in 2015, working with you to defend our Constitution and honor our spiritual heritage.

I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a wondrous holiday season. This is truly the time of year in which families become closer together and memories are formed that last a lifetime. It is my hope that you are able to enjoy the gifts of faith, hope, and love that define this time of year. And it is my prayer that the spirit of goodwill that we experience during this joyous season will continue with us through the coming year.

May you and your family have a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Thank you,

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