Wednesday, December 19, 2012
I can hardly believe that another
year is coming to an end and in 13 more days we will be celebrating 2013! It
has been a long year and yet other ways it has flown by like time had been
given wings. It is very hard for me to describe this year but I can say God has
continued to lead me, guide me and teach me.
A joyous
New Year’s Party at the Zimmerman’s house started the year and it was so good
to get to know them on a more personal level and to just fellowship is what
started my New Year off.
In February
grandchild number 8 made his debut on February 25, at 7:00 and turned a day
that 6 years earlier marked a day of sorrow to a day of rejoicing. Thomas Jack
Eli Rastall joined the family and as Gwen stated at one point, “Ain’t that just
like God, He recycles.” Maybe in some ways he does but I do know for sure He
restores and He restored some joy to my heart that day.
I also
thought I had found a job that month but it turns out that an allergy to cats
is more limiting that I ever knew and had to give the job up. So the job hunt
continued and at that point unemployment decided that I had voluntarily quit
and cut me off from all benefits completely. That decision left me without any
income and really caused me to question if I was in God’s will and where I
might have ran off the road.
I kept
sending out resumes and kept myself available and kept searching. Another
opportunity came my way in May with a home care agency that was attempting to establish
a presence in the Muskegon area.
June
brought Sam and Brian and the kids came for a visit in June but I was living
with my Aunt and she did not feel she could handle the house full of kids and
added adults so the wonderful Ms. Elaine Klemm came to our rescue and let them
stay at her home. What a tremendous blessing to myself and the kids. I found
out later that the house became Ambree’s dream house. Thankfully it was warm
enough in June to spend much time swimming and at the beach. Sam and Brian
continue to stay with his parents in IL while he completed a property management
course and continued job hunting himself. Currently Gwen, 9 and Ambree, 8 are
homeschooled and Abi 2 and Thomas Jack now 9 months on Christmas day are
enjoying the time with Grandma and Grandpa.
Mike and
Kary remain in Muskegon and both are now working with Port City Products. Mike
had to have carpal tunnel surgery this summer but has healed well. Laben 11,
Noah 8, Jaylee 4, and Acelynn 2 keep both parents very busy. The boys played pee-wee
football at Oakridge this fall and were very excited that Laben team earned
first place and Noah’s team came in third. Jaylee started “pretty school” this
fall which is her terminology for pre-school. At Ravenna head start she cooks
and draws pictures.
Tim has relocated
to Grand Rapids working with Springthrough as an application developer. He has
a house on Wealthy St. and has a special someone he has been communicating with
since this fall.
The year is
closing out another holiday season upon on us and again I find myself searching
for a job. Spending time with Mike and Kary and the kids and enjoying some
Sunday dinners together. I was blessed with a color tour through the U.P. and
enjoyed another CCDA conference in the great Twin Cities that God opened doors
for a day before it started. Elaine took me and another friend to the Gaither
Homecoming Christmas concert which was really a 4 hour worship service and
blessed my holiday fun.
I have experienced His care for me
in ways that have been tailored just for me and I am overwhelmed how God
brought so many moments together for me. The scripture that has been permeating
my spirit this season is, “and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She
wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for
them in the inn.” Luke
2:7 (NIV) I am looking in my own
heart to make sure there is room for Jesus. How about you? Is there room for Jesus? I want Him to have all the room He wants and I surrender all has taken
new meaning for me. This is not easy for me because I had ideas and plans but I
am so thankful that God loves me too much to leave with a deceitful heart about
all else or a heart of stone but is giving me that heart of flesh.
Thank you my friends
and family for blessing my life in ways that has made me a better person all
around. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
