May Your New Years Dreams Come True!

Well I know its been awhile but in my defense I warned you :)! Our Christmas was very busy and very wonderful. On Christmas eve we spent our afternoon and evening at my parents with my brothers and sisters and there spouses and one boyfriend.  It was nice and laid back.  We ate snacks and opened presents and it was very nice.  That night, after we got home, we read the Christmas story with the kids and talked about the real meaning of Christmas.  On Christmas day the baby woke up to nurse and I realized that it was 7:30 and no one was awake!!!  So I went and woke my husband and children up.  I had told the kids the night before that all I wanted from them for Christmas was 5 minutes of uninterrupted snuggling.  Then we went to the living room and opened presents!!  So fun!! The kids had a blast and we had fun watching!! After we finished and I cleaned up some and had the kids put some things away we left and went to my mother in laws house and visited with her and my sister in law and her children.  We stayed for awhile and then it was off to Bryan's grandmas house which was definitely a more subdued visit. We warned the kids ahead of time that they would have to sit quietly and they couldn't run around and play.  Bryan's grandma has alzheimers and she at times cannot remember her husband or anyone around her.  She can say rather rude things.  In fact while we were there she said, "I don't know these people.  Will they leave soon?"  We just smiled sadly at each other across the room, Bryan and I.  She's just saying exactly what she's thinking.   I think in all of my Christmas this year that I most enjoyed and will always remember our visit with her.  She didn't ever remember us while we were there but my tenderhearted Bella went and curled up on her lap and she loved on her and great grandma loved back.  I went and sat at her feet and talked to her about things of little depth and she smiled and talked about whatever was on her mind.  As I sat at her feet and listened to her I thought how quickly life passes.  I have heard so many people say they have no regrets.  I asked myself will I?  The visit was wonderful and poignant all at the same time.  On Sunday our Pastor said, " I'm ready for a new year, I've used this one up.  I'm ready for a clean slate."  Me too.  I'm ready for a fresh new start.  But then he asked us, "Are you today where you were last year at this time?"  I hope not.  I hope there has been growth in my life.  That I have let the Lord work in me.  For the new year one of the things I would desire most as a christian is that these questions will not be hard for me to answer.  That instead I will be able to say, " No I am not where I was last year at this time, praise God!!"  I would desire that I would be able to look back and know that the Lord used me in some way to bless people along the way.  I know he desires more of me this year.  So I guess the reason that the visit with Bryan's grandma was so wonderful and memorable for me was because not only did we get to spend precious moments with her, but also it reminded me to redeem the time.  Am I giving my all to Christ?  Am I giving all I can in my marriage?  To my children? To my extended family?   As I think about the new year I am introspective. I know this is not an upbeat post but it is where my heart and mind are at the moment and really have been since Christmas day.  We leave on Thursday for Charleston to visit my grandparents.  I know that they won't be with me forever.  I want to go down there and enjoy every second of time that we have with them.  As Pastor always says, "Glean all the goody I can"  out of this trip.  Then I want to (by God's grace) come back revived and ready to start a new year sold out to the Lord and my family, no matter where this year leads or what may lie ahead.  I want to be willing to be like my Bella and when I see someone, hurting or in need, be willing to go and be a blessing to that soul like my Bella was on Christmas day curled up on great grandmas lap.