Finishing Up

Wow, what a year this has been. It seems we have had some really good events in our lives and we have had some struggles. It has occurred to me that the greatest frustration in our society has to be when the revenue is not there. There are simply too many things that can't be done, help provided, or dreams embraced without the money to make ends meet. We certainly survived that part of it in better shape than I expected. Now with regular income it is much easier to plan and dream and help those who are still stuck in the mire of unemployment.

Christmas this year was at our house, with our six kids and their four kids. There was a moment before the wrapping began flying that I was able to spend a moment and reflect about how blessed I am. I watched as my grown kids dealt with set-backs and fears. My only granddaughter had heart surgery, my youngest grandson has food allergies that make it a little tricky to cook for him. My second grandson continues to struggle with inner-ear stuff and stresses his parents about his hearing and his development. My oldest grandson struggles mightily with reading and had to make a trip to Dallas to be tested. Job insecurities with both son and son-in-laws. This is simply the stuff of life that everyone struggles with, but it my little troupe and consequently my personal prayer battles and kingdom.

Yet, I couldn't help but feel proud of the people they have become. They are mature and honest, helpful and compassionate, they will stand in the way of injustice and speak their minds. There is not a coward or a slouch in the bunch. And the greatest gift of all is the struggle for lap time with Nena or Grandaddy. There is a picture somewhere in all this furor of me holding my two youngest grandsons. I remarked that it felt like I was holding 100 lbs of grandkids, which brought a swift response from my daughter and d-i-l that it couldn't be more than 60 lbs. Jeez, moms have no sense of humor. It was with regret that my shoulders and back told me it was time to set them down. Of course the expanding wriggle-fest was making it a little hard to hold them anyway.

This is Christmas in the truest sense. Seeing your life's work finish well. Seeing the impact of our love and our commitment fulfilled in the lives of our troupe. Christ was born to redeem man, and his greatest redemptive test is within the boundaries of our families.

Godspeed, I pray your year finished well. Mine sure did.
Don