looking ahead

Yesterday we stayed home. We did not have the usual quality time with siblings, parents, or cousins. In 18 years of marriage, I can only think of a couple Christmases without some mix of family. Those times were always due to a fresh move to a distant state or country. 

Instead, we had a couple of close family friends over. I unpacked fine china and silverware I'd not used in several years, my hubby grilled an expensive hunk of meat, and we enjoyed a good meal together. We played a few rounds of Scattergories - a game I'd not played in a very long time. The kids doubled up for sleepovers afterwards, and this morning I came straight to a local coffee shop, ignoring my messy kitchen.

Life is good with real friends by your side; people that are grounded and rooted in the Word and that walk through trials with you. Family and friends can be synonymous in this way. Good friendships are gifts we find at every duty station, which tells me that this world is full of people trying to live well. It is full of those pursuing not just happiness, but that abundant life that comes in receiving Christ. The idea of abundance might be mistaken for money and pleasures, but really, it's the confidence and peace Jesus promises in this crazy roller coaster life. 

As we all face this next new year, I hope and pray that we each pour into our Bibles, and also into friends and family. Both are hard work, but tasks that must not end. Both require study and correct interpretation. Both require wisdom from the Spirit of God. Both can strengthen, build, and produce fruit in our lives in a way that we could never do on our own. 

But... sometimes friendships fail. I've had my share. Sometimes those in community with us find the nearest exit door when things heat up and confusion, etc. takes precedence. Sometimes views cannot be reconciled, and a withdraw period pulls heavy on the soul. In the end, I've found that it's okay to allow space for this, as upsetting or discouraging as it may be. When minds are made up, love is assured, and paths are forged in new directions, I can let the Lord have his way rather than fussing over disappointments. It's his expertise in turning the hearts of men (should they need it), not mine. What a blessing to rest assured in that one life-changing truth!     

Happy sowing in the new year! 2024 here we come!