I always find New Year's much like those little two words at the end of a good novel, 'The End.' This year especially, I saw that with a much exasperated sigh of relief. This year needs to be over. In fact, entering a new decade gives me even more hope.
While the Millenium provided me with a wonderful husband and my lifelong partner, as well as two of my children being born in this decade; it was overall, extremely challenging. I know that this doesn't just go for me. I have seen so many people struggle over the past few years in a variety of ways.
Tomorrow offers us all a fresh dose of hope, an encouraging emotional breath of a desire for something different, for change. It has made me think about so many of the things that I hope to happen in the next decade:
Our daughter will graduate high school and will leave for college.
Our two oldest sons will graduate, God willing.
Our oldest children MIGHT get married before the end of this decade.
We MIGHT be Grandparents in the next ten years. (GASP!!!)
We might persevere through some of these struggles and a live a more stress-free life. (Hoping.)
We will hopefully be more selective about the relationships that we develop and keep.
Our beloved dog Berkley, will probably live his last in this decade. (Very sad.)
We will very possibly lose Brian's Grandparents. (I don't even want to think about it.)
There are so many things that are possible. So many things that are sure to happen. Not all good, you can be certain, but hopefully the scale will tip in that favor.
I just know that right now, I am looking forward to the mere possiblity of leaving all of this behind. I'm not sure why the ticking of a clock towards midnight offers me that aspiration, but it does.
I hope and pray that this year and this next decade help all of our wishes come true; it allows those we love to remain healthy and safe and prosperous; that we have as minimal heartache as anyone should have to endure, and above all that we are loved and cared for.
God blesses us each and every day. I pray that I can keep that more in mind...
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
A very accurate statement about love...
Yes, it is 1 a.m. and I am awake. Not very shocking for those of you that know me. Figuring that I might be a little constructive, I went in to iTunes to update my iPhone and decided while it was updating I would check out the new free Apps (applications that you can put on this handy-dandy little device.)
Anyhow, looking for free books to put on there to read while I'm doing all of those fun tasks like waiting at the doctors office, the DMV, the Post Office (especially this time of year), I ran across a book called, "Why Did I Marry You Anyway?" Of course, the title grabbed my attention and even made me giggle.
On the second page of this eBook, I found the following statement, which I instantly appreciated. It is as follows:
Love is friendship that catches fire; it takes root and grows one day at a time. Infatuation is marked by a feeling of insecurity; you are excited and eager, but not genuinely happy; there are nagging doubts, unanswered questions; little bits and pieces about your beloved that you would just as soon not examine too closely. It might spoil your dreams. Love is the quiet understanding and mature acceptance of imperfections; it is REAL. -- Barbara Bartlein, RN
As Brian and I get ready to celebrate our 11th Christmas together, I can definitely relate to this. I thought maybe some of you could do.
All my love,
Christy
Anyhow, looking for free books to put on there to read while I'm doing all of those fun tasks like waiting at the doctors office, the DMV, the Post Office (especially this time of year), I ran across a book called, "Why Did I Marry You Anyway?" Of course, the title grabbed my attention and even made me giggle.
On the second page of this eBook, I found the following statement, which I instantly appreciated. It is as follows:
Love is friendship that catches fire; it takes root and grows one day at a time. Infatuation is marked by a feeling of insecurity; you are excited and eager, but not genuinely happy; there are nagging doubts, unanswered questions; little bits and pieces about your beloved that you would just as soon not examine too closely. It might spoil your dreams. Love is the quiet understanding and mature acceptance of imperfections; it is REAL. -- Barbara Bartlein, RN
As Brian and I get ready to celebrate our 11th Christmas together, I can definitely relate to this. I thought maybe some of you could do.
All my love,
Christy
Sunday, December 6, 2009
An inspiring Sunday Sermon...
I have always prided myself on NOT being a CEO Chiristian aka Christmas. Easter. Outta there. You know the type, some of you may even be the type. However, over the past couple of years, that is exactly what I've become.
I used to be much more dedicated to my faith then that. (I am Lutheran.) Even when I had four children under the age of ten, and my husband was never home, I somehow always managed to get there (and generally had the fun of juggling an infant who wanted to eat or who got a tummy ache and loaded their diaper and soiled their clothes right before having to walk up to the altar for Holy Communion, or something of the sort).
But somehow, I have constantly let L-I-F-E (I say it like a four-letter-word expletive) get in the way and have lost site of what is truly important. Now, keep in mind that I somehow kept up with all of my responsibilities to the different boards and committees that I was on, but let my position with God slip in the process.
I have struggled immensely since September as most of you know, and every Saturday, my little boys especially start in with, "Mom, are we going to church tomorrow?" I generally respond with something like, "I don't know. Maybe. We'll see." I'm sure you get the point, and the next morning, mainly due to my inability to sleep; we never quite make it.
Well, with the Lord's help, we made it this morning and I am SOOOO very glad that we did. I know in my heart that he wanted us to get there today, just to hear his voice through our pastor's words. So, I'm going to recap it for the rest of you, so that maybe you can find some of the same much needed advice that you might have been looking for recently.
**********************************************************************************
By: Pastor Bob Stone (Paraphrased)
There once was a farmer who had a very old Donkey who fell down an old well. It was the farmer's opinion that the Donkey wasn't worth saving, and so he called his friends and neighbors and asked them to all grab a shovel and come help bury this Donkey that was in the old well.
While waiting for his helpers to arrive, he threw the first shovel full of dirt down on top of the donkey, and as he did, was inspired with an idea: Shake the dirt off of your back Donkey, then step on it and get back up." So, shovel-full by shovel-full, the Donkey shook the dirt off as it hit his back until he was able to just step out of the well, that was of course his plight to begin with.
The lesson: What seems to bury you, might actually be your personal avenue to freedom. Shake it off and step up!
Also, to help and to prepare is not to be a helpless victim or circumstance. Are we prepared?
***********************************************************************************
There was some amazing Advent ponderings as well, but I'll save those, before this turns into a book. I just absolutely was inspired by Pastor Bob's words today. Maybe all of the weight that has buried me the last few months is my own personal avenue to get to where I need to be. Something that definitely deserves some further thought......
God's blessings to you all,
Christy
I used to be much more dedicated to my faith then that. (I am Lutheran.) Even when I had four children under the age of ten, and my husband was never home, I somehow always managed to get there (and generally had the fun of juggling an infant who wanted to eat or who got a tummy ache and loaded their diaper and soiled their clothes right before having to walk up to the altar for Holy Communion, or something of the sort).
But somehow, I have constantly let L-I-F-E (I say it like a four-letter-word expletive) get in the way and have lost site of what is truly important. Now, keep in mind that I somehow kept up with all of my responsibilities to the different boards and committees that I was on, but let my position with God slip in the process.
I have struggled immensely since September as most of you know, and every Saturday, my little boys especially start in with, "Mom, are we going to church tomorrow?" I generally respond with something like, "I don't know. Maybe. We'll see." I'm sure you get the point, and the next morning, mainly due to my inability to sleep; we never quite make it.
Well, with the Lord's help, we made it this morning and I am SOOOO very glad that we did. I know in my heart that he wanted us to get there today, just to hear his voice through our pastor's words. So, I'm going to recap it for the rest of you, so that maybe you can find some of the same much needed advice that you might have been looking for recently.
**********************************************************************************
By: Pastor Bob Stone (Paraphrased)
There once was a farmer who had a very old Donkey who fell down an old well. It was the farmer's opinion that the Donkey wasn't worth saving, and so he called his friends and neighbors and asked them to all grab a shovel and come help bury this Donkey that was in the old well.
While waiting for his helpers to arrive, he threw the first shovel full of dirt down on top of the donkey, and as he did, was inspired with an idea: Shake the dirt off of your back Donkey, then step on it and get back up." So, shovel-full by shovel-full, the Donkey shook the dirt off as it hit his back until he was able to just step out of the well, that was of course his plight to begin with.
The lesson: What seems to bury you, might actually be your personal avenue to freedom. Shake it off and step up!
Also, to help and to prepare is not to be a helpless victim or circumstance. Are we prepared?
***********************************************************************************
There was some amazing Advent ponderings as well, but I'll save those, before this turns into a book. I just absolutely was inspired by Pastor Bob's words today. Maybe all of the weight that has buried me the last few months is my own personal avenue to get to where I need to be. Something that definitely deserves some further thought......
God's blessings to you all,
Christy
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
