Merry Christmas

A brief reflection on 2012......

The year started out with a baby on the way and Steve unemployed. Steve found a job in February, but started working second shift in April, the same time Rex was born.  To say the year was hard, is an understatement.  Last December, when things seemed to be at their lowest, my coworker/friend Michelle who sells 31 Bags always sells her samples that she takes to parties to clear out patterns that are going to be discontinued or discounted bags that the monogramming was wrong.  I am a 31 junkie as it is, so to add a couple of bags to my collection at a discount is a bonus. One of the bags I really liked was a larger bag, lined with washable material, with a Carolina Blue interior and a Navy exterior.  A perfect, boy diaper bag.  It was in her $5 pile because it had been monogrammed with a bible verse. I thought, heck, a bag this nice for only $5, I don't care what is on it.  I went home and told Steve about it. We are both Christians, but I will admit that neither one of us really knew the bible or all that it empowers us. He told me I had better look that verse up before I started advertising it across town. Point taken. So, I grabbed the bible off the shelf and found Philippians 4 (to be honest I had to look in the table of contents to see where Philippians even was). The bag read "Phil. 4"  so here is what I read  aloud to Steve...

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I almost teared up.  With his loss of job and a baby on the way, stressed out was an understatement. I started turning to God more realizing that in calmness and peace there would be answers.  I realized that my life wasn't over. In fact, it is just beginning.  Call it the Christmas Spirit or a lightening of the soul, but that bag was exactly the hope and the "wink" I needed to turn to God for 2012. Steve found a job with Wells Fargo in February.  Steve and I both started listening to KLove only in the house and in the car.  We both felt that it impacted our outlook and was guiding us through hard times successfully. Then in May, doctors found a lump on Steve's bladder.  He had it removed and the verse continued to be a constant song.  Steve was cancer free and back to work after four weeks. A year later, Steve and I enjoy listening to KLove, Joel Olsteen, and we are trying to support our church through large transitions. He still works second shift, but we make it work.  All my expertise at making ahead meals has really paid off.  For most evenings, I do everything by myself. I love still being able to eat healthy, home cooked meals despite the crazy blessing of two in diapers

So, back to my bag.  I went back to school that day and bought the bag for a large $5. Not only was that bag a good deal, I feel like it was placed there to be mine.  Phil. 4 is now my favorite verse. I actually put it on a sticky note on my computer to read throughout the day. I am quite proud to advertise it across town. After all, as we have always said... "I can only do one thing at a time." Right now, stressing out is not going to get any of it done. Do not be anxious about anything....