I like how my husband prays for a vision for the year ahead to guide us in his ministry.
And I like how the vision-casting from the years before compound into the next year:
2012 was the Year of Fruits of the Spirit-
God showed us that He is the Gardener and that He is responsible for growing the Fruit of the Spirit in our lives-
how freeing is THAT? I've always thought that I HAD TO GROW THE FRUIT. Nope. Fruit of the SPIRIT. HIS SPIRIT. not me. nothing on me.
free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, i'm free at last....
2013 was the Year of Fishes and Loaves-
God taught us to offer Him what was in our hands- to live open-handed- and that He would do the rest. And, wow, what He did with the little we had! I still wonder how somethings got accomplished!
2014 was the Year of Faith like a Child-
for all the tribulations we encountered, the Lord was faithful to be there like the Daddy that He is to me and provide whatever we needed. The gifts and blessings we received at Christmas this year not only echoed the Fishes and Loaves theme of 2013, but re-iterated the "Come to Me like a child" theme.
Some highlights of 2014:
-Hank was born in February HEALTHY! (we went through a TON of tests and monitoring with concerns that he had heart problems- BUT HE DOESN'T!)
-Brick turned 2 in March
-Hero started First Grade and has lost a TON of teeth!
-I discovered doTERRA essential oils
-I was assigned to new locations at work.
-Christ Community Church launched the Phenix City campus in September- which has been amazing to be a part of
-Joseph's Journey 2014: wow. Being a part of that production was so amazing- God taught me so much through that production--
--whatever you do for the Lord in secret may not bear fruit for many many years- but when it's time, it's AH-mazing!
--the cast and crew SURROUNDED my family with prayer when my participation was threatened due to my boys getting sick.... serious prayers were lifted on our behalf... that was humbling and blessed me.... and they recovered within HOURS.
--I realized that Christmas is about CELEBRATING CHRIST- not about the TRADITIONS that we can't get to- I got really sick with a skin issue called reactive erythema- very painful and gross and I just couldn't get everything done that I wanted to get done. I mean, I cried every time after I changed Hank and Brick because my hands and arms were so damaged. I was sad that I couldn't get to some traditions until the Lord revealed THIS to me.
-Christmas this year was probably the best ever- the gift I gave myself was NO STRESS- so we had a laid-back Christmas day and the boys seemed to enjoy every single minute of it.
so looking forward to the New Year....
2015 is the Year of Harvest-
I'm not really sure what "Harvest" means- I mean, I know what I've heard preached on the topic, but I'm not sure what it means for us here at Big Heater Media and for the Williamsons. But I'm sure that it means work for us. HARD work. Thankful we are no strangers to HARD work. And maybe not physical work, but spiritual work... I haven't really put this to prayer- we've just gotten the word: "HARVEST." I hope it means that we get to see God's hand in these offerings that we've made. But I trust that whatever is happening on the other side of that veil, He has control of.
And I KNOW that I've made TOO MANY MISTAKES to count in 2014. I KNOW. So we'll just have to leave some things in 2014. And other things, I'll keep working on.
LETTING GO of stress is one thing.
ADVOCATING for my kids and husband (my marriage) is another.
ENJOYING life more- even if I don't have a ton of money to go to the beach or whatever- BLOOM WHERE I'M PLANTED kind of thing.
I will strive for WHOLENESS in HIM...
So here's to ALL that the LORD brought us through in 2014...
And here's to ALL that the LORD has in store for us in 2015...
May 2015 find us faithful to the calling bestowed to us and may Mercy and Grace follow us where the Lord leads us.
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Celebration vs. Tradition
This has been a tough year- not as tough as some have had to endure- but definately a banner year for us. And honestly, ALL of the changes have been GOOD for us... but there's been A LOT OF CHANGE. Which throws me anyway. But GOOD CHANGE!
So August hits. And several major changes hit. And with those changes, an illness ignited in me that I never knew existed. I felt like I was in The Happening- like the environment was attacking me. After several rounds of prednisone and a referral to a dermatologist, I received a diagnosis of reactive erythema. I know it could be worse. HOWEVER- it is painful and it GETS IN THE WAY OF ME LIVING LIFE! And the TREATEMENT is TERRIBLE TOO! p.s. I don't think that the changes triggered this illness... just an unfortunate coincidence. So I am still wading through triggers and trying to figure out what a good treatment plan would be outside of steriods- like vitamin E, etc.
So because of this illness, I can't do everything I want to do. The boys have gotten sick this month too... so sometimes, you just have to shut things down- circle the wagons- take care of the chickens until all are well.
I've felt bad about some of the things I can't do for my sons for Christmas this year. Some of our traditions just aren't going to happen- for several different reasons... And I was lamenting that as well as trying to make sure that I used this opportunity to teach my sons about Christ.
Then this hits me during a church service one December Sunday.
It's NOT about TRADITION
It's about CELEBRATION
Whatever I can't get done or I can get done,
the focus should be CELEBRATING CHRIST'S BIRTH.
A lot tries to steal my focus this time of year-
so I'm focusing on HIS BIRTHDAY
and LOOKING for the STAR that was over the manger when He was born...
the STAR that will lead me to the PRINCE OF PEACE....
Luke 2: 7-14
Matthew 2:9
may His LOVE and LIGHT envelope you-
drive out the darkness attacking you-
remind you why HE came as a CHILD
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