One post a year - really?

 It is January 2012 and I've noticed my occasion to blog has been a little lacking in regularity.  This is  not to say there have been few reflections in the past 12 months, but to say that posting them has not been a priority is an understatement.  There is a journal that keeps my thoughts, quotes, meanderings intact in a more tangible form than this, so promises won't be made to keep this posting current.  But, needless to say, I will make the attempt to share some thoughts today.

The year 2011 had many beautiful, memorable happenings as well as some scary, difficult moments...all which may cause one to wonder what awaits in 2012.  This past year has included events such as:
  - Graduation from CU for Tommy
  - Joel counseling at camp and loving it
  -  Danielle entering her sr year of HS - enjoying everything there for the 'last' time
  - Tommy and Sara's wedding in September
  - ministry opportunities through discussions, prayer, music, teaching
  - visits from parents and friends
  - being a part of college students growth and lives
  - vacations, books read, bike rides, gardening, hunting, etc.
  -  Lake Michigan shores
  - laughter from sweet moments shared together
These are some of the blessings that continue to make us smile and plan for the future.

Then there are the things that are not so pleasant to remember that we'd rather not relive. 

 - the constant realization of bodies growing older (whether ours or our parents)
 - the struggle of difficulties shared with friends/family
 - GGG's health roller coaster ride
 - failures and the regret that follows even with the joys of forgiveness
 - the near death episode of my health and the dealing with the 'new normal' that it brings
  
These are things that summed up 2011 in a deeper way. 

M. Proust once said,  'The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes'.   I pray that this next years discoveries will be uncovered by eyes that see in new ways of experiencing life because of all that 2011 held

Some thoughts and goals for the coming year (personally)...
 - read more (already on book 2)
 - know Jesus more intimately - sharing life with Him
 - keeping my relationship with Hutch and kids /family very real and present
 - serve more by being more aware of those around me
 - taking more time to reflect and create - musically, intellectually, relationally
 - speak less and listen more

'You cannot gain peace by avoiding life' - I plan to live every moment in the moments....

---and hopefully not wait a year to blog again.
 

Today is a new day

Summer is finally here.  We've been celebrating graduations ...our son, Tommy, from College and our niece, Rachel, from high school.  It is a great season to mark accomplishments and look forward to moving on to the next stages in their lives.  They have done well and we are excited for them.  Rachel on to University of Kentucky....and Tommy to get married to darling Sara and then to grad school.  This is the first summer that Joel has worked away from home - at camp in Indiana and the first summer we are spending more time at home in the yard....hopefully with friends and each other as well.  There are three weddings to take part in this summer before we have our first family wedding with Tommy.  Danielle takes the ACT, drum major academy, British Columbia missions trip, Lion King musical theatre camp and reading as much as she can fit in.  Hutch and I are going to begin to embark on the world of leisure biking sometime soon...and he is on-line teaching and updating classes/work/writing.  We have so much to be thankful for.....God has blessed us in wonderful ways - more than we deserve in this life....

Have started reading a book called, 'heaven is for real'...account of an almost 4year old boy who, without guile as most children his age, reports over time to his Wesleyan pastor father of his time in heaven during a near death (exploded appendix) experience.  Very interesting and easy read....but gives a childlike view into thoughts and dreams about heaven....not finished with it but it is inspiring and encouraging to think about life even now from such a perspective.  This world is not our home....God is who He says He is and He will accomplish what He has set out to accomplish.  Without Him we would be lost....meaningless...it is so easy to get trapped into thinking about this world and it's issues....without remembering we are part of a quest to point people to Jesus for redemption and the opportunity to make heaven their final home.  ..... I think we are also in for a lot of surprises (more pleasant than we can imagine) when we get to heaven.  My prayer is that God would allow me to keep His perspective and to 'clear up' mine as  life is lived here.  I pray for few regrets and forgiveness for missed opportunities to share Him as well as enjoy this life because it is the moment in time that He has given me.  

And so it begins....

So here we go - this is the place for anything - reflection, happenings, information, ideas, dreams, family, friends, favorite quotes/thoughts/verses/sayings.... not to go on and on about me and my world but a place for growth and insight.  Sometimes when you put things down in writing, revelations and realizations happen - that is my hope for the more insightful moments....but hoping for fun and a place to log in to life...as it is happening....without having to rely on memory.....for me, for my hubby and kids, for friends, etc. And maybe it will encourage those who read to do the same - or at least make some 'standing stones' for the moments (big or small) in their lives as well.

...So, as this2010 fall schedule starts - so will the journaling.  

Stay tuned.....