I really am going to try to get this Happy New Year letter sent out, but I never know for sure and I may not have mailing addresses for everyone who may pass by my blogsite. So here are some meandering thoughts regarding time, trials and tribulations, and unspeakable joy. God bless you as you journey through 2010. Drat! I wish I had a photo of our Christmas tree to make this more enticing to read. Pictures always draw me in. Don't they do that to you?
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Well, picture this....
Twenty-ten…. WOW! Reminds me of Buck Rogers or Star Wars… kind of. And here we are; mostly the same since way back when, except for prices, gray hair, kids and grandkids. We still drive cars that roll across the ground instead of floating through the air, crops are planted and harvested, and fathers go fishing and hunting with their sons and daughters. Birthday parties consist of dress up and birthday cakes and the song remains the same since probably before our great-grans. Wars continue and babies are born. Nothing new under the sun, is there? Technology moves on with temptations to get addicted to email, facebook, and twittering, but really… aren’t relationships still dear and the challenges of life typically the same whether or not we discuss every tiny detail of our day with kindred spirits out in cyberspace? So much joy and some pain and it’s good to know others feel what we feel and pray when there is a need. Sharing life is what living in community is about; just never dreamed it would happen through the internet instead of with neighbors who live on the same block. Life is full of the ordinary and the surprising, isn’t it?
OK, so I was going to sign a few Christmas cards on December 28th, three days after Christmas. Obviously I didn’t get that done. Confession: I’ve had the cards, stamps, and a pen since Thanksgiving; even sent a few but never could really step into that get-up-and-go Christmas spirit, so here I am, trying to put my thoughts into words with a cheerful expectancy for whatever the future holds. I love Christmas mind you; have enjoyed special moments with friends and family as we sat around Christmas trees… theirs and ours… with flickering fires and many cups of hot spiced tea and chocolate. Our happy Christmas house became even more sparkly with press-on snowflakes stuck to windows, mirrors and even the aquarium… not that the fish cared. It was quite odd after awhile, I thought, that I would do something so quirky. Those glittering plastic snowflakes did help our fantasy of a snowfall since snow in Central Texas is rarely realized. The cold white fluff made a brief appearance in early December accompanied by squeals of delight, only to see both disappear as quickly as gentle flakes made impact with the ground. Yet we still hold tenaciously to the hope that snow could blow in with a cold winter storm before spring. Time will tell.
Christmas this year was one of those “different” kinds. You know, the kind empty nesters face on occasion when children get married and have to share holidays with their ‘second’ families. This was our year to be without the pitter-patter of little feet, but we did all get together at Allan and Em’s the Saturday before Christmas for our Selke feast and festivities. Fun was had by all. Really! Four kids, their spouses, and 9… yes, I said NINE grandchildren. There are now 19 of us and counting. No babies in the oven that I am aware of, but you never know when another one will pop up and start growin’. The cherished family photo didn’t happen because our sweet Jack (almost 10 year old) sadly, was sick that day. He and his daddy, Corey, drove over to pick up their gifts, so the fam. ran out to their van to sing “We Wish You A Merry Christmas” while Jack, still in his pj’s, tried to smile. The neighborhood children who were playing outside ran down to see what in the world these crazy people were doing. I saw Jack’s little chin begin to quiver and tears predictably came…mine, not his. He so much wanted to be with his big family for Christmas. I hugged him anyway despite the threat of viruses. The only thing I could do when a hug from the heart was certain to be more help than any medicine. We told him how much we loved him and heard later that he started feeling better and was enjoying his Legos, wii game, and remote helicopter among other treasures. What a day! Kinda like lighting a sparkler on the Fourth of July; suddenly it’s gone, over, ends with a screeching halt. Someone posted on facebook the other day, a quote I’ve had to remind myself of a lot… “Don’t cry because it’s over; rejoice because it happened.” I think this was said by Dr. Seuss or someone. Anyway, food for thought… I thought.
Our blessings in 2009 far outweigh any reason we could possibly have found to whine, cry, or complain. We were and are surrounded by friends and a family who love us and a God who holds us in the palm of His hand. He continually proves Himself faithful and trustworthy even when our world seems to fall apart. The intricacies of His protection, healing, guidance and wisdom were tangibly displayed in a huge event our family faced in late September and the miracle of God’s grace and mercy continue even now as Darrell recovers from double by-pass heart surgery; a shocking turn of events to put it mildly. He and all of us were brought to our knees that hot September day when he went down at football practice, took a trip to the ER where… to make a long story short… a major blockage was found too risky to stent. On September 23rd, covered in prayer from head to foot, Darrell was rolled into surgery where the artery that was giving him heck was by-passed with two healthy veins and we rejoice. A scar, of course, remains to daily remind us of God’s grace; a visual declaration of His loving-kindness that is better than life. God’s Word and His very presence creates and restores life to us in every detail now and forever. We saw the manifestation of God’s love casting out all fear when fear was closing in like a stormy black night. We saw His provision when we couldn’t even think what it was we needed. Friends and family surrounded us with listening ears, prayers, food, and hugs galore. I would never wish to go through something like this again, for Darrell or anyone dear to me… EVER, but in the middle of it all we saw God move and hold us and speak to us with more clarity than we had ever known. He is good and that’s the bottom line, isn’t it? God’s care is perfect; His timing precise and “there is no shadow of turning in Him”.
My prayer for you in 2010 is that the dreams of God’s heart would be realized; that He would be glorified through your life and you would know Him; sensing the reality of His presence more than ever. I believe God is calling to all of us, “Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you! I Am, and I am already there.” His plans of hope and blessing are attainable if only we will open our arms to let Him hold us in His.
…Ephesians 5:15-17
