Our family has a tradition of spending a few days away between Christmas and New Years in the Eastern Cascade Mountain town of Leavenworth. We started coming here in the summer of 1977 when Thousand Trails (a camping membership that we belong to) opened a campground just a few miles from town. We’ve been hooked ever since. The summers are gorgeous. Hot and sunny days, cool clear nights, hiking and fishing and relaxing by the pool. The winters are equally beautiful. Several feet of snow, Christmas lights, skiing, sleighrides, browsing quaint little shops. It’s just a little piece of heaven in my mind. In fact, I’d love to own a home here. For now, I’ll settle for camping in the summer and staying in a condo in the winter.
One of the things I like to do while relaxing here is to take time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the coming one. Looking back is relatively easy – looking forward in my book is a guessing game. Truth be told, we can plan all we want, but the future is not in our hands.
A year ago we were rejoicing at the news that Andy & Amanda were going to have a baby. We had all been praying earnestly for several years for Amanda to be able to conceive and we were all pretty discouraged that is had not happened. The birth of baby Annice in August was joyfully celebrated by the whole family. We were all there that day marveling at this tiny (well not so tiny – 8 lbs. 12 oz!) little person and the wonder of new life.
There have been other wonders in the past year. Chris has secured a ministry position – something that we had also been praying for for several years. Nate received his appointment as a missionary associate and is in the process of raising the funds to go to Argentina. David and I are feeling a stirring that God is doing something new for us as well. If we were to see the past year on a map, our journey has taken us on some freeways, highways, mountain passes, unpaved roads, dead-ends, detours and back streets. That is the adventure of following Christ – we really don’t know what is ahead. We’re not truly in the driver’s seat – we’re just along for the ride of our lives.
We have seen some plans and dreams fulfilled in the past year. We remodeled our family room. I lost 20 pounds and got in better shape. Tricia started school for her master’s degree. We paid off car loans – to name just a few.
But at the same time there are some unfulfilled dreams and hopes. Right now, I feel that God has said to just stay faithful and keep on asking and hoping. They are not things that I’m ready to articulate at this point. Some concern me, some my family. All are in the hands of the Father who alone knows our hearts desires and what is best concerning us.
As I look ahead to 2009, I’m confident that there will be some glorious victories and celebrations and there will be some disappointments and heartache – that is how life goes. But I am also confident that the One who is faithful is already there, guiding, encouraging, comforting, strengthening all along the way.
This is my prayer for my family and for all of you in the coming year:
Philippians 1:3-6
I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
And Philippians 1:9-11
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Abounding more and more in knowledge and depth of insight… May you know Jesus more in the coming year.
