Happy Puking New Year
Well, we sure do know how to ring in the New Year. The Shannon's spent the entirety of the first week of 2014 with our heads stuck in the toilet, scrubbing kiddo puke from the corners of the walls, drinking Ginger Ale, and well, wishing we were dead. Truly. It was that bad. But, after four days, I woke up with a new, "The Hills are Alive!" attitude and not an ounce of nausea. I was the last one down, so we were in the clear. My faith in the glory of the new year renewed, I thought I'd share a few thoughts on 2013- since I didn't really get a chance to. I have strict rules on ipads in bathrooms. Ew.
2013 was rough. Parts of it felt like walking in wet sand, dragging luggage behind. Some of it felt frightening and lonely and confusing. Some of it felt dark. And then, in the darkness, we held on to the only truths we know- God loved us enough to send His son. We felt a new stirring within us of the beauty of His grace. The need of His presence. I watched my little family become transformed by the renewed hope that if God is for us, who can be against us? How could we have forgotten? We watched our friends and our family all rally together, forming a net beneath us. We began to hide God's word in our hearts- not because we thought we were supposed to, but because it is life-bread to us. It's all over our house, on chalkboards, on index cards. My heart became humbled, and soft. So soft, I cry at everything- beautiful or painful. His love was so abundantly clear to me this past year- this year of loss and frustration, of anger and bitterness. 2013 is not marked for me by the circumstances through which we lived but how God brought us through! He is so good to us.
Did I make a resolution? No, not really. I have seen enough to know that I have no control over what will happen to us this year. Would I like to lose a few pounds? Sure. Would I love to finally learn French? Pay off at least half of our debt? Absolutely. But all of those things dim in comparison to what last year has taught me. God is good and I am His daughter. Because of that, I can confidently walk into whatever 2014 may bring us. I am His.
Happy New Year!