When this New Year's Eve hits, I am thinking about my friends from high school... before Erin died... when we would spend the night at someone's house on New Year's Eve and eat ice cream from a Blue Bell ice cream tub and need to pass an apple around the table so that everyone would get a chance to talk. And I'm thinking about what a wonderful Christmas we had this year and all the great memories we made.
I am thinking about how this past year was so full of ups and downs that I don't know how my heart contained it all. My grandfather went to be with Jesus in February Buck the dog went to be with Jesus too in February. Brick was born in March. Heath was ordained in May. And the rest of the year was a struggle to keep from crying tears of sadness and pure joy. Hero's grown into such a sweet little man. Brick's doing very well. We've met the challenge of moving from a family of three to a family of four. I'm still not quite sure what I'm supposed to "do" being the "Reverend Mrs. Williamson" and I'm not quite sure that there is anything that I'm supposed to "do." Recovering from Brick's birth took a little longer than I would have liked for it to, but I'm getting there. We helped start a new community group which has been such a blessing to us. I've deepened friendships. I performed in "Joseph's Journey" at Christ Community which was a blast. Heath and I have both been employed and our family has had all that we need.
I'm not sure what 2013 has in store for us. I do want to make some changes, but those changes are do-able and not very drastic. On a larger scale, 2012 was a year of fear for our country: with the election, the economy, the fiscal cliff is threatening, crimes on a mass scale make us even more cautious... 2013 could be a scary year if I let it be.
But... I know that the God of the universe is holding me and my family in the palm of His hand. And I know that He knows the path that is before us. I know that because of this, I don't have to be afraid.
So, I pray that for all of us tonight, beloved... as we count down the minutes to a brand new year and think about all the changes we want to make and think about what's going on in America and how it will affect us personally... that the presence of the Almighty God is so strong that we no longer fear the present or the future... that His love is so strong and so real that we can no longer deny Him... and we stand in awe at His love, mercy and grace.
