PAST YEARS AND FUTURE FEARS

Greetings, everyone! Hope this Christmas season was the most joyous one for all and that a bright, healthy, happy, and very blessed future waits for each and every one of you in 2009!

Where have I been this whole Christmas season? Goodness, I can't believe how the time flew by! Our regular night nurse, who had taken a few days off to be with her husband while he underwent surgery, ended up hospitalized herself and was out of work for close to three weeks. So, I picked up her shifts in the midst of getting ready for Christmas and for our son and DIL's visit from New York. I don't ever mind working for my dear friend, but the night shift seems to eat up the hours more than any other.

Anyway, Christmas Day came and, even though I was sure I wouldn't be, I was ready for it. the tree got up and decorated, all the gifts were wrapped, Christmas cards sent, some of the bills were even paid before the big day rolled around. Despite the rush, I had plenty of time to ruminate on the meaning of Christmas on the day itself. I had a nice long drive to pick up the kids at the airport that day. I listened to my favorite Christian radio station and enjoyed the Christmas carols they played. Sometimes I turned the radio down and just let myself get lost in my own thougts of Christmases past.

It's amazing to think that the center of attention at gift opening time is now a seven-year old granddaughter instead of our own former seven-year old daughter and her six-year old brother. The daughrer is now mom to the granddaughter and the son has made a life for himself and his wife of four years in New York City.

Twenty years ago on Christmas morning, I never would have dreamed that someday we would be sharing the joy of Christmas with the people we do now, our precious granddaughter, her dad, our son's sweet wife, members of her family, people who were totally unknown to us not that long ago. Conversely, a twinge of sadness stabs my heart when I think of those who have passed from our lives over the past twenty years. My dad. My husband's mom. Countless relatives and friends I used to send Christmas cards to who have left this world.

I wonder about the next twenty years, or thirty, or forty, or how many more God will give me and who I will meet during that time. How many people will enter our lives that we can't even begin to imagine today? What influence will we have on them? What impact will they have on our lives? Sometimes I wish I knew, but most of the time, I'm glad I don't. It is the element of surprise that makes life exciting, and who is better at giving that gift of surprise than God?

He makes every day a present to be unwrapped, exclaimed over, and treasured. Some of the presents are so common and ordinary that they are soon forgotten, like the candy bar a child finds in her stocking and eats without a second thought about it. Some presents are disappointments, gifts that aren't quite what we expected, but in looking back, they teach a life lesson about gratitude and appreciation for the giver. Most gifts, though, are a pure delight, something that reflects the love of the giver and holds its value in our hearts for years to come.

One of those gifts is the gift, I believe, of the unkonwn. Wouldn't life be so different if we knew everything that was going to happen to us? If we could see into the future, the pleasure of those unexpected joys would be overshadowed by the trials that lie ahead. I think that, during the low times in our lives, the times of sorrow and despair and discouragement, it is the surprise of unexpected joy and happiness that puts life back into perspective.

I started this year facing the uncertainty of testing for a medical condition. The procedure wasn't bad at all. The prep was a lot worse. Four liters of liquid to be consumed in four hours. Let me tell you, that's a lot of drinking! LOL! I'm still awaiting the results of the test, but I feel confident that whatever they are, the Lord will guide me through whatever He has in store as far as my health is concerned.

Work has its uncertainties too. We've done a lot of downsizing in order to deal with these trying economic times, just as many other organizations have had to do. We're hoping to come back stronger than ever, serving troubled kids and helping them through a difficult time in their lives. Our boss has resigned his position, so someone else will soon be taking charge, and that always leads to changes and adjustments. I'm looking forward to that with excited anticipation. I've applied for the position myself, but not one bit sure that is where the Lord wants me right now. I'll probably find out sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Our daughter plans to take some testing that may lead to a promotion for her job. Our son and daughter-in-law may be living in a different part of the country, maybe the world, by next Christmas. Our first-grade granddaughter is discovering new things every day, especially since she loves to read and the written word opens up all kinds of learning adventures for her.

I have great plans to write some articles and submit them, work on my novel, and continue writing for my church newsletter. I'd like to be a lot more aggressive about seeking markets, even for small pieces that can gain me some credit in the writing world. Only the Lord knows what new friends I will make and contacts I will cultivate in the writing world this year.

So many unknowns to look forward to! I'm excited to see 2009 unfold! I hope you are too!

NOTE: I'm seeking stories of "Kids Into Doing Something Spectacular" for my K.I.D.S.S. page. Please refer to it for my story about Justus Stewart. If you have something you think may fit what I'm looking for, please contact me via the site. Thanks!

Thanks for reading my blog.