This should be about Valentine's Day since it's coming up next week, but as oft happens, I'm not sure what it will be about until the words come onto the page.
My last blog was in December and talked about putting away the Christmas decorations. How long ago that seems now - so much has happened in that relatively short span of time. The New Year has come and gone - the January bills have come in - we vow to do better next year, cut down a bit on gifts - after all, how much does anyone really need? If it comes down to someone 'really' being in need, we will be there, won't we?
Now, into February, the Super Bowl has been decided, Valentine's Day is upon us and all in between is life happening. And as I mentioned earlier, a lot has happened so far in this new year of 2012. You can all breathe easier knowing I'm not going to bore you with all the details - maybe just point out a couple of things that have been meaningful - not drastic or life-changing (although sometimes the simplest, most insignificant things have been known to change a life).
On New Year's Day, I started back to Mt Paran church - had been probably 16 or 17 years since I had last attended there. One of my goals for the year was to find a church home, and with that in mind, I had a mental list of a few churches to visit - but without any hesitation or doubt, upon entering the sanctuary of MPN, I knew - this was where I was supposed to be. I arrived early and after taking my place in the pew, the voices of the praise team were 'warming up' for the worship service soon to begin, and the sounds surrounded me as if to say 'welcome home.' Such a sense of peace and belonging were felt as I sat alone listening and just taking in the moment. Tears filled my eyes and I silently said a prayer of thanks for bringing me to this place. Needless to say, there would be no church-shopping after this - sometimes you just know - and that Sunday, I knew - this was it.
Secondly, in the 'meaningful' column of events this year, is our Writer's Group held once a month in Jasper. What a blessing it has been! Each month I learn something new, about a member of the group - about writing, the phrasing and use of words to express one's self - and sometimes I learn something new about myself. It's a 2-hour session we look forward to each month - a time and place of sharing, learning, making new friends, laughing and sometimes - healing. Again, it's God that brought these special people together - to what end we don't know yet, but whatever the purpose, it will be revealed in His time - and it will be good.
Not all that's happened has been happy and positive, not by a long shot - if that were the case, we would all be living a fairy-tale existence. But, in my humble opinion, life as we know it is normally a good balance - we can't get to the mountaintop without walking the valley, and isn't the challenge of the climb what makes it all worthwhile? Standing like Rocky Balboa at the top of those steps - with arms raised to the sky and shouting, "Thank you, Lord - I made it!" Can't you hear that music now??
(I had better add, just in case someone may question if Rocky had spoken those words, but I think we all know he didn't - guess I just thought it would've been great if he had.)
Among other things that go in the 'meaningful' column, a reconnection in one area of the family - some fun times with friends - new writing opportunities have arisen - a new chorale season has begun - and who knows what's next? One thing for sure, I'll be hanging around to see......... and I know it'll be good :)
May God Bless you and yours .......
Oh, and by the way, Happy Valentine's Day :))
Bobbie
