‘Sup, 2009?

Welcome to the New Year. Was it good for you, too?
We spent New Year’s Eve laughing, eating, and playing Apples To Apples. (We also played an ill-fated round of Trivial Pursuit: Pop Culture Edition, but we won’t talk about that…) We rang in 2009 with sparkling apple cider and some intense prayer. We prayed a hedge of protection around my 17-year-old nephew, who is going into the Navy this summer, and my troubled 15-year-old niece, as well as Scott, whom you regular readers know has a number of health struggles.

I would say that Christmas 2008 was the best Christmas we ever had. Due to my employment status (or lack thereof) we spent a good 2 months worrying about not having enough money for Christmas, but, in the end, money and presents had almost nothing to do with it. Knowing that this was my nephew’s last Christmas before going into the military made it extra special, and the fact that we got to pray over him with so much intensity was a blessing. The kids have a psycho mother (diagnosed as such), and a recovering drug addict for a father. In a sense, we helped raise them. I know it sounds melodramatic, but we’re seriously going through some empty nest syndrome. We’ve had the kids every Christmas since we got married. The idea of one of them being far away is a little much for us to take in. Sometimes reality sucks.

The fog of bipolar appears to be clearing, at least for now, and for that I am grateful. The “friend situation” and the beauty of the holidays forced me to look around and see that I am lucky…fortunate…blessed to have friends that call me to the carpet when I misbehave. Nothing sucks like getting caught in sin, but… as Pastor Doug used to say, “Sometimes it’s good to get caught.” (And sometimes, I think, “What does he know?” But I gotta admit, he’s much wiser than I am.) I have a lot of friends, which is a major switch from how I grew up. I think I had two friends, maybe. To have a GROUP of people to choose from blows my mind. It’s a good thing. God is good.

I don’t really have any New Year resolutions, they’re more like life resolutions. Lose weight, have some breast reduction surgery (not kidding!), write another book or two or twelve, decide on a hair color, strengthen my faith, think of Jesus as soon as I pop out of bed, that sort of thing. You know…learn how to be a good friend, a devoted wife, content wherever I am, and thankful for everything I’ve got whether big or small.
Hmph. I’m not sure I could accomplish all of that in a year.

I always liked the line that Morgan Freeman (a.k.a “God”) said in the movie “Bruce Almighty”: “No matter how dirty something gets, you can always clean it right up.”
Well, Jesus can.

Here’s to a deep cleaning in 2009.