And, that’s a wrap!

Yep, just like that – in just a few hours we will celebrate the last minute of 2018 and the new minutes of 2019!  I just finished reading my last post from in July, wow!  A LOT has happened since that post and now that I have finished reading over it, I’m so very grateful for the quiet time I had just a few days leading up to that.  God knew I needed that time, and He knew what was coming – and WOW!, what was coming was BIG!  Just three weeks after my last post, on July 28, my husband went into the hospital for a routine heart catheterization in hopes of discovering information that may have qualified him for some alternative medicinal therapies for his progressive lung disease.  In turn, what was discovered is that he had a “false positive” on his previous stress tests and, in fact, had some very serious blockage – so much so that he was transferred to a hospital with a cardiovascular surgeon.  On August 1, he had open heart surgery and was listed in serious condition in CVICU for four days following.  Four months later, he is much better – praise the Lord!, but still struggles with his lung disease.  I’m so grateful his life was spared, but even more so I’m so grateful for the journey we have been on.  It’s been the most tough thing either of us have experienced, but I firmly believe we are better – not bitter – and, stronger personally, as well as a couple.  God has been so good throughout this journey!  He immediately placed people in our path that He knew we needed – good people, caring people, helpful people – family and friends, as well as complete strangers!  He immediately began opening doors that no human would ever have been capable of opening for us.  HE did this for us because HE LOVES US THAT MUCH!  He gave me “peace in the chaos” and met every need.  I can’t even imagine how many people were supporting us in prayer!  It’s almost mind-boggling to think about, yet not, because I’m so, so grateful.  I knew God was amazing before this occurred, but the way He reveals His awesomeness in this journey is truly spectacular.  Don’t get me wrong, that’s not to say this journey has been all glamorous – there have been so many down right ugly days, but in the ugliness there has been peace which may only come from our heavenly father.  So rather than rehash the journey, cuz really what IS the point in that!?! I’m looking through the windshield of hope for 2019!  Oh, we have many unanswered questions going into this new year, but that’s what give us the drive to have HOPE – we must have HOPE and we must TRUST that whatever is brought our way will be OK!  So, as I prepare for the new year, I’ve selected a word as I have in the past…… SAVOR!  Yep, my word for 2019 is SAVOR!!  I want to slow down in 2019 to intentionally savor each and every moment.  I don’t want rush and busyness – well, I KNOW there will be busy times, but I am committed to having “white space” in my schedule each and every week for reading truth, praying, reflecting, and truly savoring every minute of every day.  And, it is in this that I desire to intentionally become more comfortable with being vulnerable and have great peace in this chaos called life!  I want to completely live each and every day as Psalm 34:8 instructs:   “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!  Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!” (ESV)

So, what is your word for 2019?  Tell me, I want to know – I want to pray for you.  And, will you please pray for me and my husband?  Please pray that our medical team finds an alternative to make him more comfortable for a greater quality of life AND that we SAVOR each and every minute of our time together.  Happy New Year!