Happy (?) New Year

Well, that is what everyone always wishes you right...Happy New Year!!! Well, what about when it isn't so happy. I am an optimist, and I like to always think everything will be fine and work out, and be good, but, sometimes it just isn't is it.

The first week of the new year a friend of mine died. I was getting phone calls on her progress, she had been in ICU, and I couldn't get in to see her before I left for conference, and when they finally let people in to see her, I was out of town, so I couldn't go, and I so wanted to. She went to be with Jesus the next day. It is great for her to be with the Lord, but I am sad, as I will miss her, and my heart goes out to her 15 year old daughter, and her husband who are left behind. Some things in life are hard to adjust to. I am sure this family doesn't feel like it is a "Happy" New Year.

The next day, after my friend died, my sister-in-law had major surgery for Ovarian Cancer. We found out that she had stage III-C, which is not a great thing. It all happened so suddenly, one hardly has time to adjust to the diagnosis before your whole life has been changed. She is still recouperating from surgery, and started on chemo this week. I feel so bad for her and for my brother. This certainly is not a "Happy" New Year for them.

Then, due to financial constraints, we had a lay off some people at the church, including 2 in my department. I love my people, I think I have a great team, and I think I needed every person that I had...but, things are not always our choice. It was painful. During that same week I got sick, and then I got up that Sat morning and threw my back out. At that point I just felt like "Just shoot me and get it over with!!!!"

These times are when it is so good to have God's word hidden in your heart. God kept bringing Psalm 23 to my mind. I totally know and understand that my life was nothing like what David was going through when he wrote the Psalm, I get that, but it also provides comfort to me when life around me isn't so grand! I love the HE gives me rest (even when I don't want it, when you are sick, and then can't get around b/c of your back, guess what, YOU GET TO REST...no option)...I love the HE restores my soul......I can see him working through all of the above circumstances, even if I would not have chosen those things for myself or my loved ones....I see that He is with me all of the time, even in the hard times, and I LOVE THAT...and I love that in the end, I will DWELL in the house of the Lord Forever....now how GREAT is that!!!!

In the end, I am still an optimist, I am glad that January is over, and am hoping that the rest of this "NEW" year will be much better!!!!