On New Year's Eve, I was sitting at a table with a lovely group of ladies, sipping drinks and nibbling yummy appetizers while keeping half an eye on the rambunctious three-year old. (Aside: This would be a great place to talk about how lax we get with our "babies". You NEVER would have caught me letting any of the the other kids stay up to welcome the new year, even after a very long and late nap!)

We took turns reviewing our year. Not a pretty picture. Between us, we had experienced job loss, house flooding, health issues, loss of a parent, business difficulties, and home foreclosure. We took a moment to toast a heartfelt (and don't let the door hit you in the backside) farewell to 2008.

Less than an hour later, after welcoming 2009 with champagne, kisses, and warm wishes, I sat snuggled against the night chill on the lawn with my youngest in my lap. Together, we exclaimed at both the fireworks that we could see from the surrounding theme parks and the ones that our friend's teenage son was lighting in the street (much to the delight of the other children). My husband walked up behind me and kissed the top of my head and I experienced one of those "warm and fuzzy" moments when life feels simply perfect.

Almost in the same moment, I felt the Holy Spirit rebuking me for choosing the path of negativity earlier in the evening. I felt it again when TQ was having an emotional moment about how difficult our year had been. However, instead of focusing on the negative, this time my speech took a different turn. Yes, 2008 has been hard. We've lost a job, struggled financially, totaled a car, and literally had the ceiling fall in. Still--God gave me a book this year, an unexpected and glorious gift! And, as much as remodeling was difficult and painful, I'll take it over chemotherapy any day...chemo left me with residual pain, scars, and side effects. "Hurricane Kenmore" left me with a wonderful (and adequate) washer and dryer, the removal of my hated former carpet, and a beautiful (and much more "me" kitchen). Compared to 2007, the last year was a walk in the park.

In the midst of all of this, I (along with Amy, Susan, and others) was looking for my "word" for the year.

On New Year's Day, my in-law's were visiting when I received a call from my sister. She knew that I was struggling with replacing our battered (and holey!) couches. (We had started to look and had seen a "might" work on deep discount, but were discouraged). She and her husband told us to kick the old couches to the curb--they were buying us the cute "stopgap" couches to have in the living room until we found what we really wanted. The stopgaps would then move upstairs to create the lounge/game space I've dreamed about for my teen (and tween)!

For a moment, I struggled. We've received so much, others have so little. Then I was stupidly jealous--there was a time in our lives when we could bless others in an equal magnitude,and I miss being able to give that way. Then I was simply so awestruck and humbled that all I could say was choke out a soft "thank you" as my dh and his dad prepared to go and pick up our gift.

Then I opened my gift from Susan.

It was a word. My word for the year.

Blessings.

I'm going to hang the word near my mirror, where it will reflect on me each morning as I prepare to face the day.

I want to bless others this year. More so, I want to be acutely cognizant of (and grateful for!) the blessings that are handed to me daily, t0 focus on them and "battle for joy" as my pastor so eloquently worded it this morning.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. --Ephesians 1:3

May your new year be blessed.