Happy new year!
We had quite the exciting night. Shane has been sick since Wednesday, so we watched some HGTV until about 8:30, then went downstairs and brushed our teeth and crawled into bed. Some friends of ours invited us over for dinner, but Shane was achy and not feeling up to anything, so they offered to bring dinner to us. It was the best lasagna and lentil soup I've ever had. Shane said it really hit the spot, which was great to hear considering all he had been eating was chicken broth and noodles. Thank you Carolyn and Andy! It was a huge blessing.
Thinking back to 2010, lots has happened, so we'll start from December and go backwards.
December:
-Shane and I had our first Christmas together. (We were able to go to Monroe the weekend before to spend time with the Kirkpatrick side, and then we were in Apex for Christmas weekend.)
-Cousin Korey accepted Christ into his heart. Praise God!
-Mom and Dad went on their first mission trip to Jamaica. We can't wait to hear about it!
-Eli returned from being in Iraq for a year.
November:
-Spent Thanksgiving in Apex. Michael, Konomi, Grayson, Matt, Becca and Will were all able to come in town. We had to work a lot of the time, but we still got some good family time in.
-Will turned 1 and started walking.
-We found out that Will had a sibling coming next July.
October:
-Ate crabs on my birthday. Mmm!
-Camping trip to Grayson Highlands in VA.
September:
-We found out that I was pregnant.
-Shane found out that he no longer had Crohn's!
-Shane went full time at Home Depot and we got to enroll in great medical benefits! God's timing is prefect.
August:
-Shane finished the apartment and we were able to move back in.
-Survived the hottest summer EVER.
July:
-Puffer reunion in Chattanooga, TN.
June:
-Moved in with Jeanie.
-Took a trip to Wilmington for a friend's wedding.
May:
-I escaped the Boxing gym and started working retail. I don't know if this was a step forward or backward...
April:
- We got married!
- I went on my first cruise.
March:
-Shane moved to Apex and started working at Home Depot and on the apartment. Who knew marriage could be so fun?
February:
- Wedding planning...nothing exciting I guess.
January:
- Wedding planning? I can't think of anything else.
Also, a few of y'all picked words for the year 2010. I know that in 2009 or 2008 my whole side of the family did. Anyways, the word I chose for 2010 was CHOICE. My reason for picking this word is that I have a hard time staying positive and joyful when I fall into a funk. I needed the reminder that I always have the CHOICE to continue to be joyful and positive in every situation. Every circumstance gives us a choice of how to respond. The verses I chose to go along with my word were James 4:4 and James 1:19-20.
James 4:4 "You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."
I have the habit of choosing to go against what God wants me to do and towards what the world calls us to do. The world tells us to just look out for ourselves and do what we need to do to make us comfortable and happy. God calls us to glorify Him in every action we take, thought we think, and word we speak. I need to learn to lean on God for the strength to do what does not come naturally, but that glorifies Him the most. I have to say that Shane has helped me with this so much and I could not thank him enough, or thank God enough for putting him in my life. He is so patient with me and has taught me how to communicate instead of shut down. I still fail daily, but I have improved, and I get to give God the glory for that. God has given us so much this year, and we have also had a lot of circumstances we could have chosen to get down about. Instead, we chose to pray and trust that He would provide and take care of us, and He has proven Himself over and over. We are so blessed. It's amazing to see God bless us in our obedience to Him.
James 1:19-20 "This you know, my beloved brethren but everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God."
I would choose to shut people out, shut down, and sit in silence...which would get me no where. I need to learn the disciple of hearing others. I don't need to be quick to defend myself. Shane has taught me, by how he lives, to live out this verse more consistently. I am very thankful.
I didn't meditate on these verses throughout the year like I have done in years past, which is discouraging, but I do know that God has done a good work in me through 2010 and will continue to work in me in 2011. I am thinking about what word I will choose in 2011 and will update y'all.
Happy 2011. I know it will just be another year that God pours His blessings down on us.
