Be Adventurous!

Follow our family on our daily adventure on this thing called "life" as we try to be God's hands and feet to the world around us. Matthew 28:19-20







Thursday, January 28, 2010

My One Word

I have been hearing about "My One Word" for the last week on KLOVE as I drive to work in the morning. Basically the concept is you choose one word that you want express what you want God to do for you and through you in the new year.

The DJ's words were dream and present. I had been praying for God to show me what I should do this year as my word. What did God want to show me this year? What did God want me to learn this year? The word came to me pretty quickly and was confirmed by the song that played after God revealed my word and the scripture verses that came with that.

MY ONE WORD FOR 2010: TRUST

While I was hoping for a more creative word or something totally different from the norm, the more that the day went on, this word was exactly what I needed. Trust ... that is a hard concept sometimes to learn which is probably why God has chosen this word to signify what 2010 is going to be for me. Trusting others, trusting God, trusting myself...all things that God will be showing me.

I have to admit I am a little scared at this endeavor. Trust...what is God going to bring for me that I have to trust totally on Him? After all the stuff that happened in 2009, I thought my trust in Christ was pretty strong. Who knows? God knows and all I have to do is trust that He will not give me more than I can handle.

The scriptures God gave me on that day are found in Matthew 6:25-34 which speaks about not worrying about where our "things" come from. We are to trust in Him because He is the one who takes care of us. The song is Lincoln Brewsters "Today is the Day." I have attached the video for you to hear the song. This was just such confirmation to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B300gQkgDS0

So, what is God saying to you? What is your word? I would love to know so I can be praying for you this year as God reveals Himself in a way that you may have never seen before.

I will TRUST in HIM.

Friday, January 1, 2010

2009 Year in Review

Well...2009 has truly come and gone. I can't say that I wasn't happy to see it leave. Don't get me wrong, we had some great times in 2009, but there were lots of changes.

Here are some of the highlights/changes that happened

January - Mr. A out on sick leave as doctors are trying to figure out what is going on with his hips and back. Months of injections, scans, x-rays, PT still ultimately lead up to surgery (see December for more details)

May - Mr. A and I celebrate 14 years of marriage. Still love the guy as much as I did when we started dating if not more.

June - Ky graduated from 8th grade. AJ graduated from 5th. Both are moving into new adventures in their academics while mom and dad struggle to figure out how we got here. Went on a vacation to San Diego to visit with family. Able to meet both "new" additions to the family, nephews E and J. Had a great time eating at our favorite dives while doing things such as the fair, going to Julian and the beach.

July/August/September - Get some disturbing news about nephew J. Has a genetic disorder called Denys-Drash syndrome . Wishing we could be closer to help the family as we all learn to deal with the new reality. Many surgeries to come but always hopeful. God is in control

August - Our new reality hits - Ky is in high school and AJ is in middle school. Where did the time go?! Ky's schedule as a freshman in high school looks like something I had while in college. AJ having to set her own path not to live in Ky's shadow. Luckily she doesn't have any of the same teachers until second semester so she will get to prove herself on her own.

September - Thanks to FIL, we are able to get away for a couple of days over the Labor Day weekend. Headed to Asheville and bummed around the area for a few days. We were able to do some gem panning/mining which we love and found some awesome stones including rubies. Still didn't make it to Biltmore - cost too much for this budget group -but it is still on our list to do one of these days!

November - Had a quiet Thanksgiving with the four of us plus Mr. A's dad. We went and watched Blindside in the morning then headed back for our small feast. We were thankful for all the blessings God gave us especially the ones sitting around the table.

December - Hit like a ton of bricks. Just the season alone is enough to drive some people clinically insane, but we had even more to add to this season. Our nephew J had his kidneys removed on December 1st. This is done to ensure that he won't get cancer in his kidneys (a side effect of his condition) A week before that we found out Mr. A's mom lost her job. She had worked at this place for a long time. She was a very loyal and devoted employee. As of today she is still looking for a job.

Ky and the band from the youth group were a part of the Battle of the Bands in honor of a student who was undergoing a bone marrow transplant to help with Sickle Cell. The band placed 2nd and Ky's confidence went through the roof. She is a singer while the rest of the guys play instruments and some sing too.

AJ turned 12 the same weekend this Battle of the Bands and the church Christmas production were happening. Talk about crazy...but wait...that Monday, December 14th Mr. A headed into the hospital for spinal surgery.

After months of back and forth with doctors, almost an entire year out of a job on short and long term disability, the doctors decided that the original fusion that happened in 2003 needed to be repaired. Surgery lasted about 3 hours and he was in the hospital for 4 days. We are so thankful for our church family who provided meals, visited Mr. A in the hospital and called to check up on me. We are truly thankful for Celebration Family Church. They rock!

While Mr. A was in the hospital, Mr. A's dad was rushed to the VA hospital on the other side of town with mysterious symptoms. At this point, I just wanted my parents there. Luckily they arrived on the 19th and stayed until the 26th. We didn't do much as Mr. A was still recovering but I was so glad to have someone else there to help take some of the pressure off of me.

Christmas was quiet and small but sweet. My family around me was enough. We had made it through some trials in 2009 but to have my family safe, secure and a little weathered was still priceless.

I know it may look like I hit some pretty low points, but looking back they are what got us to where we are today. We are still thankful that we have a God who provides. We may not have a lot materially, but we do have Him and each other. That's a lot in my book.

We are so looking forward with anticipation to see what 2010 brings.