“World’s Best Cup of Coffee”]
Buddy: You did it! Congratulations! World’s best cup of coffee! Great job, everybody! It’s great to be here.
We might have the world’s best cup of coffee at Shoreline Church, but I’m not sure. I AM sure that we have the world’s greatest people, and possibly the most creative! Our closest friends are our staff and volunteers. Shoreline is still meeting at the Rave Theatre in the Destin Commons. Our weekly attendance is around 600. The creativity and fun that comes out of there is amazing. Eric continues to communicate the message of Christ in a creative and simple way. So many who don’t like church or whose perception of God has changed, have found a church home at Shoreline. We are grateful that God sent us back to our roots in Northwest Florida! Eric is also coaching a few young pastors through ARC, the church planting organization that helped plant Shoreline. We love what God is doing through ARC and we really enjoy being a part of their vision to plant 2,000 life-giving churches by 2020.

Buddy: It’s just nice to meet another human that shares my affinity for elf culture. In case you didn’t know, I’m the youngest of all of my sisters.  They told me when I was young that I was one of Santa’s elves and that when I turned 6 I would have to go live with Santa.  They were just raising me for Santa.
I believed them and swore my ears were starting to turn pointy. Now that I am confident I am not an elf, I am confident that I love being a part of Shoreline Church. I am the Generational Ministries Director. I am enjoying developing the leaders and the environments and programs of our youth and children’s ministries. I am also closely involved with Eric in his role as pastor and I lead a few life groups of my own. Oh, and the kids keep me busy too!

Buddy: I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel. In January, Michaela, who is now 20, moved to the sea of swirly twirly waves and surfed every spot she could! I was fortunate enough to be the parent chosen to move her to Hawaii on the island of Oahu. Michaela and I spent the first part of the week getting her settled in her new place, and finding a reliable car. Later that week, we both surfed Waikiki and enjoyed some mother daughter time. Michaela settled in well at Surfing the Nations, a mission and humanitarian organization with a focus on surfable nations. She graduated from the intern program in April and then joined the staff in May. Buddy: [to the doctor] Can I listen to your necklace?


Michaela got quite the opportunity to spend time with doctors this summer in Bali, Indonesia. She ended up with swine flu within a week of arriving there for her summer trip. She was very sick and in a matter of hours, was swept away to a state hospital. She spent 7 days in quarantine completely alone. Because she was one of the first cases in Indo, she was ALL OVER THE NEWS. It was quite overwhelming for her.  She finished out her trip in Bali and went back to Hawaii in August. In October, we took her off the field for some rest because of a few medical issues. She has been home but will leave in January for a 6 month trip to Bali and will volunteer at 3 different ministries. She hopes to find a longterm opportunity soon. Her heart is in Bali!

Buddy: First we’ll make snow angels for two hours, then we’ll go ice skating, then we’ll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse Cookie-dough as fast as we can, and then we’ll snuggle. Skyler is now 17 and he’s the only one we get to snuggle regularly because he’s now the only one left at home. Skyler will finish high school this year! He practically has a child, a 6 month old puppy named Julia.  We are amazed at his parenting skills! We have caught him scolding her and correcting her in the yard like she was a kid. This has been one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences. Skyler is also surfing REALLY well and is competing again. His entreprenurial spirit is growing and he has plans to start a gumball machine business again this tourist season, but on a much larger scale than before. He eventually wants to move to Bali to live with his sister. He hopes to open a bed and breakfast for traveling surfers. This would combine all of his strengths and passions, surfing, homemaking (yes, it’s true), cooking, business and socializing.

Buddy: Francisco! That’s fun to say! Francisco. Frannncisco. Franciscooo.
Harbor spent some time in San Francisco and other lovely cities all over our nation. His band, “Call to Preserve,” toured with their 2^nd cd on the Facedown label. In between dates, he spent most of his time in Destin working on new music and lyrics and playing on the Shoreline worship team. His band is currently practicing for their upcoming recording in Boston in February. They have just received news that they will be going on tour in Europe. Some of the locations are Russia, Portugal, Spain, London, Rome, Slovakia and more. We are so excited for him! It’s been their desire for a while and hardcore music is huge in Europe. They should do well. Harbor is now 23 and if you didn’t know, he graduated from Flagler Collge in 2008 with a degree in Communications/Journalism.

Buddy to Jovie:I think you’re really beautiful and I feel really warm when I’m around you and my tongue swells up. John still thinks one girl is really beautiful. He is still dating his high school sweetheart, Miriam Dahnke.  We love Miriam. She is in nursing school in Jacksonville. Miriam’s dad and Eric are childhood friends. We could tell you some crazy stories…surprised?

Buddy: It’s just like Santa’s workshop! Except it smells like mushrooms… and everyone looks like they wanna hurt me…

John is 21 and currently smells like mushrooms and pepperoni! He has been one of the managers at an Italian restaurant in Jacksonville for a year or so. They love him there and have offered him opportunity to grow with their company. This has not surprised us at all because John has an incredible work ethic.  He will probably own those restaurants one day!

Buddy: The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear!
We hope you all are enjoying the blessing of the season as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus!!!!

Merry Christmas!

Eric and Darlene and the rest of the Partin clan