Goodbye 2010 HELLO 2011

This year has been a year of change. In 2010, we've had many new adventures in our lives. Some good, some hard, some indescribable. But, here we are getting ready to ring in the new year happy an healthy.
Looking back I have to think of the high points. We celebrated Isaac's first birthday! We had another precious baby boy in May. We moved to Florida. After 7 long months I got a job and we moved to TN.
I will not focus on the low points of the year as we are still trying to heal from the hurt. Reliving that pain doesn't help the healing process. But I will say this. This year has been a year that we have been put the Refiner's Fire. There have been moments that I pray I will forget and moments I pray I won't forget. But, I must say through it God has molded us into who we are. He is showing us every day that we still have some very rough edges. But, I must say that even though this past year has been one of the hardest of my life and I would never willingly repeat this year, I wouldn't change anything.
If you know our lives over the past 12 months you might ask me why I wouldn't change anything. If I changed anything I wouldn't have learned the things I did. I wouldn't have seen God work in the ways that He did. I wouldn't have seen His provision in the ways that I did. I wouldn't be able to stand here and list off 20 way or more that God has provided and the only way I can explain what's happened is God's provision. I wouldn't be able to say that today I have a relationship with God like I never have before. I wouldn't be living in TN and have an amazing house and furniture to go in it.
Looking back, I am very thankful for this past year. I have an amazing husband and two precious boys. We have had many different adventures through this last year, but I wouldn't have wanted to have these adventures with anyone else than my husband. After almost 6 years of marriage I can say that we love each other more today.
God has also brought into our life many new friends. Without these friends that God had placed in our lives I'm not sure how we would've made it through this year.
I can also thank the Lord for our health. As I think, there are so many families struggling with health problems not knowing how long their family remember will be here in 2011. As we've been without insurance for most of this year, I must say that I am so thankful that for the most part we have been very healthy and as far as we know we are very healthy.
Even though this year has brought about much change, I've learned several things. Some lessons I've learned again. Just like how faithful God is. I know this in my heart but I've learned again how faithful He is. I'm also beginning to learn what things in life are important. It's not what you have. As picture frame I bought this year said "The important things in life aren't "things" at all." How true is that? Today I don't have everything I want. But I have everything I need. I have a God who loves me unconditionally. He provides for my daily needs. I have my family, both the ones in my house and the ones in Arizona, Florida, Ohio and West Virginia. I have a roof over my head and I've always had food to eat. God gives me exactly what I need exactly when I need it and not a moment before He knows I need it.
Even though I'm looking forward to a new year, I pray that I never forget the lessons that I have learned this year.
I pray that this year, you will learn to love what you have and not to want for the things that you don't have, that you will rely on God for your daily needs, something that I'm learning to do every day, that you will cherish every moment you have with your family and friends and learn to love them unconditionally.