I meant to write long ago as the year drew near to an end and quietly drifted away, finding its place in our memories with highlights of those things that seemed to stand out the most to us that we might cling to them and create pictures to reflect upon. My memory is so visual, trapped moments caught on camera, stilled in my mind of my children, their expressions, our experiences. Isn't it beautiful that God created us to mostly remember and reflect upon the good, to remember the heartwarming moments that we would find reason to Praise His Name. Even greater is He that He might use the "bad" or the "sad" to draw us near to Him, remind us to rely on Him, and whisper to us His Love runs deep and often overflows for us.
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 1 John 3:1
In my thoughts to write and close out the year, celebrate Christmas and reflect upon 2010 that I might not forget those things that made us smile and drews us Near to Him, I delayed. Taking care of the baby, adjusting our schedule to be a family of 7, enjoying time with our daddy while he was home...the list could run on but I delayed and now here we are the dawn of a new year.
Yet, it is still Monday, as they seem to come and go like the tide and pass by so quickly. If I counted the year in Mondays, which I often find myself counting the year in Fridays, it would pass in a blink and I might miss the moments I long to savor and tuck away. My desire is to hold each day dear to me, hold each of my children but for a moment before they squirm away and breathe in each day as if it was my last, engulfing, sweet smelling breath. Could I achieve such a life of Savoring? My heart longs to but I fail to as I allow the days and hours to unfold before me without contemplating God's rich and LAVISH love for us.
I found, at SimpleMoms.net a great and handy little tool to reflect upon 2010 and would like to do so here that I might lift up each answer to my Lord, praise Him for His abundant Blessings, and remind myself yet again to take each day as a gift, for they add up to a year within minutes of them starting.
1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year? No question it was the wonderful, blessed arrival of our precious Westin James, baby #5, as God has richly given to us an abundance of healthy, perfect little sheep.
2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened? No contest in that losing all our savings to fixing our "used" van was the most challenging. There is nothing quite like working so hard to store funds away to have it all gone within months to start anew with no safety net.
3. What was the unexpected Joy this year? The lesson that came from losing our savings was far greater than the savings itself. To learn and be reminded that God is our PROVIDER, our SHELTER, our STRENGTH has been more valuable that the money we mistakenly and unintentionally placed our trust in. Although we know saving and being prepared along with wise stewardship of our funds honors God we must not forget that He holds our lives in His hands, that His plans trump any we might find fitting for ourselves, and we mustn't forget it is Him we desire to honor not ourselves.
4. What was the unexpected obstacle? Getting back to a budget, adjusting our lifestyle to fit the current status of our finances, and having to borrow funds from family in order to keep going. We pray we are able to once again be debt free within months as we know it honors God to do so.
5. Pick three words to describe 2010? Breathtaking, Inspiring, & Renewing
6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe 2010? Challenging, Growing, & Reminding
7. What were the best books you read this year? Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp and Don't Make Me Count to Three. Both were wonderfully challenging in our parenting approach and reminded us that we are raising an Army for Christ not just creating children. The road of parenting is paved with rough and smooth patches, the hard work pays off, and we must be intentionally diligent in paving the way for them to Jesus above all things.
8. With whom were your most valuable relationships? My husband. As we travel down the road of parenting a large family we cling to each other in times of need and encouragement and also work through the tough stuff together as we find where God wants us to go. Our Small Group has been a great asset to this journey as well. A place to reflect, encourage and grow in our relationship with God, our children and each other.
9. What ws your biggest personal change from January to December this past year? I would hope I changed the most in my approach the parenting as well as my relationship with Justin. That I was slower to anger (overall), drawing them near to Christ, and lavishing them with Love. That I was more patient with Justin, forgave quicker, and resolved more smoothly that he might know how much I love him.
10. In what ways did you grow emotionally/spiritually? Emotionally I hope I was able to control my feelings a little better (although being prego didn't help that at times), as well as being able to express myself in a more positive manner when feeling discouraged or annoyed. I believe I made progress in being able to see the good in things rather than the "bad" and quicker to find joy. I hope I was able to encourage more, stay neutral in challenging situations, and be a positive influence on someone.
My understanding and the depth of my knowledge of Christ grew this year. I spent more time meditating upon His word, attempting to impart His character into my life as well as the life of my children, and sought to love Him more in the peace of knowing He loved me enough to die. Each year as a Christian I come to know Him and understand His Love better. We've had some great training this year and for that I'm so thankful.
11. In what ways did you grow Physically? Well, I gained about 30 pounds before I had our precious little guy.
12. In what ways did you grow in your relationships with others? As a couple our friendships with several friends were strengthened as we allowed ourselves to be vulnerable with them and to work out growing in Christ in a raw and natural way. Finding close relationships with women is still somewhat challenging and I will continue to seek improvement with this in 2011.
13. What was the most enjoyable part of your work (at home)? Of course watching my children grow and starting to run a little more organized and tighter ship than the year before. To hopefully have made progress towards being a Titus 2 and Proverbs 31 women for my family.
14. What was the most challenging part of your (at home)? Patience. Disciplining the children and bringing them into an obedient relationship with us and God has been challenging. It seems the enemy is out to thwart all attempts to draw our children closer to Christ. 2011 we will continue this quest to bring our children into an obedient and joyful relationship with us and Christ with a few less tears along the way (from Justin and I that is!).
15. What was the single biggest time waster this year? Most likely Facebook!
16. What was the best way you used your time this year? Being in God's word or in blogs of women who love and serve the Lord through words. Journaling and reading that I might become a greater woman of Christ.
17. What was the biggest thing you learned this past year? Two things. 1. the absolute importance of being a mother and us being parents that are intentionally disciplining and training our children that they would love Jesus and serve Him as they grow. 2. How broken and messed up I am and that I often get in the way of what my heart would like to do with my time with Jesus, my family and my friends. It is hard to be intentional and often exhausting but I don't want to give up!
18. Create a phrase for 2010 that describes you? Obedience is: doing what I'm told to do, when I'm told to do it, with a right heart attitude. That goes for me and my children! :)
I'm so thankful God has kept us close to Him this year. That He has been faithful to teach us, provide for us, encourage us and in turn allow us to bless others and grow as children of God. I know next year, as the years before, will continue to pave the way to loving, serving, knowing, and growing in Him more. I pray our goals and plans for 2011 will be intentional, that our parenting will be patient, loving, and firm, that the training up of God warriors will fall into place, and our marriage strengthened in the midst of it all. We are abundantly blessed.
No comments:
Post a Comment