Looking back over 2008, one question comes to mind. Did I learn anything? I think, unequivocally, the answer is yes. Maybe not anything I necessarily wanted to learn, but I learned it, nonetheless. In all of that book learnin' I learned that if you work hard, pray hard you can achieve just about anything.
I also learned that occasionally God does answer my prayers. I really thought that the answer was always going to be "no". Seriously, if you were me you would believe that, too. I finally got a "yes" this year. That came in the form of my testing. I prayed, prayed, prayed before those tests, and I did well. I know some of that was from lots of studying, but I also know that a some of it was grace of God. Especially my Nationals test. I prayed for brain peace - that I wouldn't overthink, overanalyze, that even on the questions I didn't automatically know the answers to, that I would just let my knowledge and intuition handle it without freaking. And it worked. I was nervous with the practical, but I was able to do it without fumbling over myself or my words. I knew what I was doing and was able to do it.
I've learned that if I demand more from my children, they will rise to meet my expectations. This I knew, but I put it into practice and saw results.
I've learned that we are all capable of more than we think we are. That whole 'God doesn't call the abled, He enables the called'....or whatever the actual quote is.
I've learned that we can come back from dark places where there wasn't any light. Even though sometimes we get pulled back, we don't go so far that we can't see any light. Andrew has really made a lot of progress and is no longer where he was....where he was unreachable.
I've learned that if I have faith and remember God's words and promise even when I don't feel like He's listening to me that everything will turn out the way God wants. Sometimes that's hard for those of us who are impatient, stubborn, a tiny bit rebellious....So here I am in the middle of my captivity and leaning on the promise.
Jer 29:10-14 (NIV) This is what the Lord says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."
2 comments:
If we're smart (which I know you are), we never stop learning. Reflection is good. It reminds us of our blessings (which can get lost in the daily shuffle of life) and guide us toward growth. I enjoyed your post, my friend. You should be a writer.
I would love to be a writer, just don't know how to start. And then there are all of those conversations to deal with and the details....Thank you, though, that means a lot coming from you!
I totally agree...I think when people stop learning new things, stop using their brains, that's when Alzheimer's and dementia really get their foothold.
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