This is who I am…

It’s a new year.  Why is it that I always think something profound is supposed to happen at the beginning of a new year?  I mean, it’s just time, right?  It just keeps on moving along, sometimes faster than we’d like.  We reach out and try to slow it down, but it just keeps on truckin’.

So, here I am.  At the beginning of a new year, 2012.  I’m 43.  I am nothing special, not even put together quite right, but I have Jesus. 

I have an amazing husband, a terrific son, a lovely “soon to be” daughter-in-“love”, a precious dog, a cozy home, a pretty garden, a peaceful yard, a best girlfriend, a healthy family.  I am blessed…blessed beyond my wildest imagination.

When I was a little girl, I use to fantasize that I would grow up and marry a rich doctor.  In this fantasy world I’d never have to lift a finger, have endless money in the bank, a masseuse on call 24/7, drive a sports car and have children that were perfect in every way. 

I’m sure glad that strange fantasy didn’t come true.

The struggles that we have gone through in our marriage have made us grow closer, stronger, healthier, happier, and much closer to our Lord who pulled us through it all.

The struggles of parenting an “imperfect” child have taught us so much about him, and ourselves, patience, love, reliance on Christ, and the power of prayer.

The hard work and labor that we have done together to make our house a home, has helped us to trust each other, rely on each other, think through things together and work in harmony.

As for the sports car…well,… life ain’t over yet!

I am blessed.  So very blessed in my little nook of the world.  This doesn’t mean everything is perfect.  It just means that everything is a precious gift from the One who knows better than I what is needed in my life, to make me who He wants me to be.

Every day I’m still growing, learning, changing, becoming.  He is constantly at work in our lives, yours and mine.  The one thing I know I want to “profoundly” do this year, is to grow closer to the One who gave me life!

“Thus says the Lord, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”     Jeremiah 9:23,24