The other night I was up late...in fact there have been several nights like that lately. As the year draws to an end, I find myself more introspective than usual. I had had high hopes for 2010. Most importantly, I was going to finally end my weight problem. I had started training for a half marathon (run successfully in January), but my own issues with gluttony and self-control/laziness won out.
I also struggled hard with faith this year during the orders negotiation process and while waiting for CPO results. God and I had more than a few arguments this year and I lost some hope there for awhile when I thought we were going to a remote assignment in Virginia despite the need to care for Samantha's illness. I was devestated and, like Peter, took my eyes off of Jesus. God was patient with me, however, and despite my frustration and anger, changed my orders in the 11th hour, moving us instead to North Chicago, which is much closer to a treatment center. I've already been very blessed here not only by my job and the treatment center, but also by the small Christian fellowship that meets at the Forrestal Village Chapel on Thursday nights.
This year was also marked by the death of my grandpa. I know, he was old and it was his time...does that make it any easier? He was still my spiritual mentor and as such, it was hard to see him go. Shortly after his death, my grandma broke her hip and is still in recovery for that, as well as pneumonia. It's been a mess.
Yet we've been blessed as well. God placed us near a great treatment center with a staff that cares for Samantha almost as much as we do. Our homeschooling experiment has turned to near gold. Alicia is a great teacher and hasn't missed a beat since her last homeschooling assignment in the Philippines. My career is going well despite the weight problems. And most important of all...my children accepted Christ this year!
As I think back on what 2010 was, I have to be thankful. Everything that happened, good or bad, led in some way to putting my children on the couch next to Alicia on Christmas Eve after she had explained the shepherds and why Jesus had come to earth. Everything I had dealt with this year put me in a chair with a Bible across from them explaining what to do with sin and Christ. Everything that happened this year culminated with my children placing their faith in Christ.
It was a year marked bypain and death, yet it was also marked by two new lives! It has been a good year.
1 comment:
God works in wondrous ways. This year was very hard for us, too. But we get through it, and God is faithful and loving enough to keep caring for us.
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