Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 The Year of Rain and Rainbows...

Another year is in the books, and a new one awaits us with 365 possibilities. For some, 2013 was the most difficult year of their lives, filled with loss, sickness, death and countless other personal struggles. And for some, it was the best, filled with successes, life, adventures and personal triumphs. Whether good or bad, best or worst, it was another year of life. There may have been more bad days than good, for some, and the beginning of 2014 may look just as bleak already, but hopefully lessons can be learned, and these times of darkness will serve as times of growth. When the sun finally comes out, you'll be stronger because of it.

For our family, 2013 will go down in the books as a year of rain (literally), but with lots of rainbows sprinkled about (literally and figuratively). We faced challenges that brought uncertainties, and we faced adventures that provided sweet memories that will last a lifetime and will become sweeter with age. But most importantly, 2013 will go down as one of the most blessed years in my life. When I think about this last year, I am humbled. The Lord's blessings were so incredibly abundant in my life, and my utter inadequacy in receiving ANY of it has driven me to my knees in complete praise of the One from whom ALL blessings flow. I am so aware of how undeserving I am that I often live in a state of fear that it will all be taken away, and He would be just in doing so. I always pray that I can learn the Lord's lessons without needing to take the test. However, when I look back at the year, while it was filled with rich blessings, I can also see where I was tested...or quizzed, if you will. Sleepless nights with a new baby, conquering the bloody mess that is called "nursing," sitting with my helpless 6 week old in the NICU for a week, packing up my entire house....all alone...while sick as a dog....with an infant and a 2 year old...while my husband traveled. No, these "quizzes" don't seem like a big deal now, and they pale in comparison to what people around me are going through, but I grew through them all...which is the point, after all. 
But in 2013 we were blessed with life's greatest blessing when we welcomed our sweet and spunky little Lucy into our lives
  and as if that wasn't enough, we were also blessed with a home that I never dreamed would be ours.
  And while my husband has traveled a LOT over the last year, he is so blessed to not only have a great job, but has had 3 great jobs this year, each offer coming at just the perfect time in our lives, which have served as reminders of the Lord's gracious provisions. And to top it all off, we got to take some great little trips that made heaping deposits in our Memory Bank.
  
  
 
 
 
Yes, we have been richly blessed with earthly things in 2013, we have also been blessed with a greater faith in our Lord and love for Him.
 
 
For the most part, Life is Good and when the storms in my life do come, and I know they'll come, I can look back on these days and know that they were sweet.
 
 
 
 Here's to the rain and the rainbows of 2013. I don't know what our 2014 will hold for us, but the Lord certainly does, and I will rest in that. Happiest of New Years, dear friends.

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