Welcome to 2011! - One Fifty-Three through One Sixty-Two

"He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children."" Revelations 21:5-7


Sunday, December 26th

153) Flexibility- Change can be so difficult, so this can be a hard characteristic to acquire and regularly employ. Oh but when you do, the rewards can be so wonderful. While I travelled with Great Lake Christian College's high school summer choir, we were always told to "be like a duck" and let the minor irritations roll off our back like water off a duck's back. In reality, we were asked to be understanding and flexible. I have found that when you are flexible, not only can you handle unexpected situations better but you also connect and relate to the other people in the situation. When you are flexible, you are more likely to see another's point of view. In the end, it seems as though flexibility can bring about a more peace-filled life, both personally and socially.


Monday, December 27th

154) Close proximity to stores etc- While I still believe it is best to plan your errand running to save gas and keep from additional needless trips (thanks to all those years when I lived 30 minutes from town), I am grateful to live within 5-15 minutes of most places I regularly frequent these days.


Tuesday, December 28th

155) Prayer- I am grateful that I can go to God anywhere, anytime, with any need, fear, wish or thought.


Wednesday, December 29th

156) Fresh grapefruit from south Texas- While we were visiting in Texas, Drew's grandma gave us grapefruits from the south valley of Texas. Yum!! They are delicious and such a wonderful treat on cold days like today.


Thursday, December 30th

157) Contentment- I was given some money for my birthday and I am quite at a loss at how to use it. My dilemma is not which item to purchase; instead I really cannot think of anything I truly need or want. I am perfectly content with what I have and have recently begun to think we have been given so much more than we need. In a society that tells us we always need the next new, big, shiniest and grandest thing, I am thankful to have had my eyes opened to all that I have been given, not only to our worldly possessions but also the gifts of my family, friends and most of all, the grace and salvation that assures me this world is not the end. How truly blessed we are.

158) She naps!- As I type, our daughter is napping in her big girl bed. We converted her crib into a toddler daybed less than thirty-six hours ago, and today at nap time, she laid down and fell asleep without any scuffles. This morning she sat in bed until we came to get her up and now she has gone to sleep without trying to fight to stay awake employing any and every method available, including sneaking out of bed for a stuffed animal or book. How beautiful it is to see her growing in size and obedience!


Friday, December 31st

159) Examples of faith- In the Bible we see some amazing stories of people who live and walk by faith- Daniel, Esther, Joseph, Elijah and so many others. These stories inspired and encouraged me as a child and continue to do so today. Now as I look around me, I can see amazing men and women of faith who are living their faith in spite of some incredible odds, rejoicing and praising God all along the way, and they too inspire and encourage me. I am so thankful for their example, so grateful that there are still so many whose light is shining so brightly.

160) The time I worked at Fuddruckers- When I first started working at the age of sixteen, I had two requirements for the place I worked. I didn't want to work in a retail store and I didn't want to work in fast food or a restaurant. I am not sure I could exactly tell you why, but I know I was dead set against working in those areas of business. I accomplished my goal up until I moved to College Station, TX. When I got to College Station, there was no time to find my preferred job. I needed anything that would provide income, so when I was offered a position at Fuddruckers within the first twenty-four hours of my arrival, I took the job. I wasn't thrilled at first, but now I am grateful for all that I learned while there. I was never a person who was much for cooking. I have always enjoyed baking, but cooking, and especially the prep work for cooking, was another story. Well, my job at Fuddruckers was all about prep work, and I now find that I enjoy chopping and dicing, within reason. It can even be relaxing, so I must have taken something else from Fuddruckers, something beyond the weekly paycheck- which was a blessing as well.

161) This past year 2010- It has been a good year. I have met some wonderful new people and have had the chance to spend time with family members I haven't seen in years. I have watched our daughter grow from an infant into a boisterous, chatty, enthusiastic toddler. Drew and I have survived some crazy military school schedules, training schedules and another move, and I love him more than ever. On top of all that, I have a new outlook, one focused on the silver lining (the blessings) instead of the lamentations, and it's a beautiful thing. Yes, it has been a good year.


Saturday, January 1st, 2011!

162) A New Year- Welcome to 2011!! There is something special about a new year, isn't there? People around the world celebrate the new year- perhaps not all on January 1st, but still we all recognize just how special it is to be granted another year of life. Just like we are thankful for another year of personal life (our  birthdays), we are thankful for another year of life as a whole world. There is expectation, excitement and hope for what may be and is to come. I obviously do not know what is going to happen in the upcoming year, but I know the One who does and that makes all the difference. I am certain there will be joyous times, sad times, fun times and hard times, but in the end, God will be in all and over all, and blessings will abound!