Happy New Year!!

I cannot believe that today is the last day of 2007! We have had a busy year! We did some remodeling and redecorating on our house (finishing a week before Blaine was born), celebrated Brenden turning 2, the birth of Blaine, helping my sister and family move, taking on the Preschool Director position at church, Team Impact, and Barry was baptized. He was saved in 2006, but did not feel led to be baptized until Feb. of 07. I could not be more blessed, excited , and proud of him for laying himself down and following God. I still cannot believe how God answered that prayer. It is only by a miracle that God yanked us up from the pit the way He did. As I look back I cannot believe the way we lived. I know I cannot go back to every person and apologize, that is why I am so thankful that I am forgiven my the Almighty. We were also blessed and got to witness God work in two of our friends lives and watch them be saved and one baptized. What an awesome year it has been. Yes we have had some valley experiences too, but the mountains far out way the valleys. We talked about what our goal in life is yesterday at church. That is an important question that is sometimes hard to have one answer for. Whatever our answer is, is it in God's will? Is it what God wants for us? Does it match what His Word says we should live for, worry about, focus our energy on? It is hard to stay on task and live that way everyday. We sometimes want to go and do what pleases us, with out thinking if it is what God wants for us or if it is going to mess up our witness. People do look at the way I act, live, and talk whether I think they are or not. I do sometimes make huge mistakes that I realize after and sometimes stick my foot in my mouth. That happens more often that I would like to admit. I know that I am forgiven for that and I try to correct it when I have the guts! Sometimes I feel as though I should just leave it alone and in time if God leads me to that moment He will correct it with out me messing things up again. I think that should be one of our goals in life. To allow God to be the muscle, the one in control, instead of us trying to handle every problem, worry, or mistake in our lives. That I must say is a hard one. I find myself wanting it to be okay right now not when God wants it to be fixed and how He wants me to go about fixing it or leaving it alone. Some of the journeys He has lead me on I have had to eat some humble pie and I just don't like it!! I know that I am growing and learning and I do have A LOT left in store for me to learn. My goal for my life is to allow myself to be God's child sometimes I ignore what I know He is leading me do. To allow Him to work through me, to be the follower. I cannot live this life without Him being in charge. I am not happy, fulfilled, or loved unless I am filled up with the Spirit of God. I know the journey is hard and bumpy at times, but the blessing are worth it. I also know I will make many mistakes along the way. That keeps me real and grounded. And those are also worth it. Because through each one I will have learned and leaned upon My God. I truly hope you have a wonderful 2008. If you ever need someone to be praying with you I would love too.