End of the Year Reflections

Already December 2010 and realizing how little I blog, but with all that has happened, I am ok with it. I journal more than I blog, but I don't consider myself efficient nor faithful in either. I look forward to blogging and think about it often, but its not a priority like some. I do not feel the need to have "followers" for the sake of having followers. Its just another way to get things off my chest in sort of a prayer fashion... talking with the Lord more than anyone else. But I also do it as a way to look back and remember what has happened and how the Lord has provided over time in so many ways. Anyway, its already the end of the year and I am ready to reflect on it in big ways. So many interesting things happened this year to reflect on.
Highlights of the year include, but in no particular order:

• Attending the True Woman Conference in Indianapolis, IN with friends and sister;
  

• Running the Oak House and renting rooms for college age students;
  

• Rob became Dean of Sciences at Bethel College;
  

• Summer Vacation! 10 year Anniversary Europe Trip with Rob. Kids stayed with Cummings and had a fabulous time!;

• Jonathan's first overnight camps at Bethel Basketball camp and Camp Lookout in the Ozarks;

• First year(well, semester) of homeschooling Jonathan;

• Elliot talks! We loved our visits from Char and First Steps!
  

• Jonathan and Mason have learned Twinkle, Twinkle on the cello and violin, respectively;

• I am back in Bible Study Fellowship!;

• God answered our prayers for more college leader servants at Grace Church! PTL!;

• The Lord kept me safe while in the hospital for a week in Oct for Crohns/Colitis;

• He also healed me from the strange and rare (and might I add, hilarious) bacteria infection from a tree frog!;

I am not a mystic by any means, and I don't want to sound like I can hear God's voice audibly or literally, but as a follower of Christ I believe what Jesus says when He said He would send down the Helper to remind us of all He has taught and help us live unto Him. Through His Word, the Bible, sermon messages, other believers and something I can describe as only a still small voice... the Lord seemed to prepare me for something this year. I remember hearing from the Holy Spirit in mid-summer this year(close to my 33rd birthday in July) that the upcoming year will be a hard one and I will face the challenge of dying to self, selfishness, and things I want or want to do... it has been interesting because it has definitely played out like this.

I have battled and faced a very selfish stage of wanting to eat what I want to eat, and temper what I want to do and how I spend my time and even how I act and display my attitude.

The disease plays into everything quite interestingly. It has caused my body to shut down and have low immunity to sickness... and having to actually choose not to eat what I want to eat has been a battle of epic proportions! Why is denying self is soooo hard when it comes to Starbucks Peppermint Mochas???? And Cookies and cakes??? And why is it that you want it most when you know you cannot have it????