There are moments in life where time stands still. For me they have been few but with those few I can close my eyes and watch the moments unfold all over again in perfect clarity. There was the car crash I was in with my brother when I was a kid. There was the morning I got a phone call telling me to turn on the TV, because we were being bombed (world trade center). There were the days that my children were born. And recently there was the day I was playing with my daughter and she became unresponsive. We were twirling on the floor, dancing, me on my knees holding her hands and her squealing with laughter. She fell and I thought I had hurt her wrist because she began to whimper. I laid down next to her and rolled her over on my chest, trying to comfort her. My wife asked me if she was ok and I said sure. Almost as soon as the words left my mouth she peed on me. At first I was mad, “Girl, you must of lost your mind.” But as I rolled her over she was not conscience, her lips where blue. This is when eternity began. My wife jumped to action kneeling beside her and rubbing her chest, blowing in her face, all the while telling me to, call 911, call 911. I stood motionless not believing what my eyes were seeing. How long did it take my brain to comprehend? Then of course I couldn’t find a phone anywhere. Long story short, she came to but we still don’t know what caused her to black out.

Life is uncertain and in a moment it can change so drastically. In keeping with my “giving thanks in all things” I just want to praise God for my daughter, her laughter, her smile. I have been reminded she is a gift and I will cherish that gift each and every day.

Happy New Year

So here we are in the very beginnings of 2011. My new year resolution this year is to be a better blogger. We will see how it goes. I have a lot to be thankful for as this new year begins. I have been remodeling a house and the kitchen and living room are now useable. There's much left to do but these two rooms are a major accomplishment. By the grace of God, if He wills, I shall continue. I finished my bachelors degree in December so this means more time. I am so glad to be done with school but i am already catching myself thinking about a masters degree. Going to school takes away time from the family and now that baby number three is on the way, I think I might hold off for a while.
I can't say that 2010 was without difficulty but I can say that it was filled with God's rich blessings. I love my family, my home, my job, and I find myself in good health. Not that happiness are inherent in these things but God has taught me to be content, and in His will I find happiness. Life for me has become a process of surrendering to God's will. At first, in those early days of faith, I feared I would have to give up so much, but now I see the more I give up the more blessed I am. I never dreamed that my life could have ever of been all that it now is. God truly exceeds all our expectations and desires when we give up our plans to follow His. In the words of Jim Elliot, He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain that which he can not lose. But it is only by faith one can come to see this, it is only by faith that I find myself here now. It is not that I ever gave anything up, but in my ignorance was trying to hold on to the ashes of a dying world as if they had some value. But now my eye's have seen that there is a life coming that is not worthy to be compared to the toils we now face.
So, if the Lord wills it, 2011 is another year to be faithful, another year to trust and obey, another years to surrender to God and see where it leads. So far He has exceeded all my expectations.