Yes, the beginning of February is well underway but I still want to look back at last month. To remember and appreciate all that God allowed to happen and the hidden blessings of this year’s first month. If I am not purposeful to do so, all I will see (and remember) is cold days, long nights, bitter temperatures and, oh yeah, cold days. Looking back is definitely a good exercise!
Dear church family – thank you…more than I can say…for not only welcoming us but embracing us into this new fold. Without a doubt, changing churches, after more than three decades at our previous church, was a “big deal” for us. We knew, for certain, God was leading us to a new church. To a new phase of life, to be honest. And change can be a challenge but you, dear church family, have encouraged and strengthened us as we adjusted and we are so grateful for each one of you.
Dear Pastor and family – each of you is more of a blessing than you know! Thank you for your testimony, for your faithfulness and, yes, even for all the hugs at every service. Every service:)
Dear Carrabbas – thanks for allowing us to “make ourselves at home” while meeting with our new pastor and wife. I’ve never spent three hours in a restaurant but it was a wonderful evening!
Dear Judy – thanks for your excitement each Thursday as we meet for Bible study. The weather has not been accommodating with Thursday mornings this past month but I am looking forward to digging in more to this study on angels. An interesting topic, to be sure.
Dear CAVA – thanks for the delicious falafel. I cannot find that on too many menus but you make it a yummy treat!
Dear New Year’s resolutions – well, you were not many, but I did set some goals. I’ve been challenged and convicted which is a good thing. Probably would not have happened without some type of resolutions – so I say they are a good idea!
Dear Word for the Year – an even better idea but yet even more of a challenge than resolutions. Surrender is my word and it is surfacing all over my life. Surfacing – as in staring me in the face so often. Clearly, this idea of surrender is going to be a year-long process. At least.
Dear January birthdays – there were three of you. What fun! January needs all the fun it can get..in my opinion. Celebrating with a most special girlfriend over brunch one morning and joining family another day for Uptown Alley fun was great!
Dear bowling score – why, oh why, can you not improve with age? It has been a long time since I bowled but I am as bad – really bad! – as ever!!
Dear brave son of mine – you did it. You actually scheduled the surgery you have avoided and avoided – and you even went through with it. Even the toughest among us have our “fears” that we, sometimes, must face head-on. I’m glad it is behind you and that you are recovering so well. The countdown is on and you will be back in the gym before you know it! PS – I love you!
Dear Lancaster – you never fail! A weekend trip to visit all your shops, markets, restaurants and to drive through your beautiful back roads is always time well spent. So very grateful to get away with great friends for a short weekend. What a wonderful time and just what I needed when the frost of winter was beginning to completely sour my mood. We will be back!
Dear unknown souls in Mexico – God’s word is on its way. I spent the last Monday of January with a group from church assembling scriptures. In just a couple of hours, we put together 4400 Spanish John and Romans which will be headed to Mexico. I pray each one will be received, read, shared and used to lead someone to salvation. What a profitable way to end the month.
Actually, January was a blessed month indeed. Even I am a bit surprised with all that the month included. Yes, there was snow. No, I don’t like snow. But each month, each season, and even each stage of life is full of God’s goodness. I want to be mindful of it all.
This is great, Jennifer! Such a fun and creative format for structuring your monthly reflections. I loved the little glimpses into your January as well. It is such a blessing to have a church where you feel like you belong, and I’ll be interested to read more about your year of “Surrender.” That was the first word of the year I had – in 2016 – and it was a very challenging one but it changed a lot and led to so many blessings!
Jennifer that was beautiful! I love reading about the words on your heart. Briahna made each one of our family members a homemade blessings book for Christmas. Everyday, we put a blessing for the day or how we feel God has blessed us. It makes me see how truly blessed I am. I am not a person that likes to write, but I am learning the benefits of it. I love hearing from your heart, words that we sometimes don’t say out loud to others, but are wonderful for others to hear. Thank you for sharing!