The end of a year

2010. I remember feeling weird to be at that number when January first came this year. I remember being a little girl and my baby bother was given a tiny sweat suit that said across the front "Class of 2007" and thinking how crazy that was and how OLD I would be when he graduated. It felt like 2007 would never come - and here we are almost to 2011!

Years go by fast - some parts of them seem to go by slow, but overall time flies. We can't keep time from passing, but we can make the most of the moments we are given here on earth. One of the best ways that we can make the most of our lives is by living with joy in the face of whatever comes our way. The reason that I have been preaching joy through 2010 is that when we have a joyful happy spirit in spite of pain and suffering the world sits up and pays attention. I've had nurses in the hospital question how I can be happy when in so much pain - or facing another surgery etc. First time I ever had surgery the surgeon said that I was smiling even with a tube coming out of my mouth during surgery! (now, that may have been a fluke) This "different kind of happy" that people see gives opportunity to share the unquenchable joy that we can have because of Jesus Christ in our lives. I figure that my life is nothing if it isn't constantly pointing attention to the God I love. I want everyone to know Him personally and have the peace and joy that He gives freely. If my pain and illness can bring one searching soul to salvation, or one despairing heart to healing than all the pain I went through was not in vain. THIS is why I do what I do on this blog.

Thank you each for taking the time to walk with me as I explore all of this during 2010. You have encouraged me and helped me learn so much more than I would have without you. The discipline of writing and having to turn my focus publically to the unending joy God offers, has been so wonderful in my life. I am very grateful.

What will 2011 hold? I am not even sure what it will hold for this blog (hopefully God gives me a clear answer today!). I don't know what will happen with the precarious state of my health. I don't know what will happen in the government or world. I don't know if one day we'll look up and see Jesus Christ coming back to take us home! What I do know is that whatever this new year brings, God will be right where He always is - with a hand outstretched and really to walk with each of us through every moment.

He is worthy to be praised.