A Cup of New Years Cheer

The first day of 2013 brings a wish of blessings from our family to you and your family for this New Year.  I am having a peaceful morning and enjoying a lovely cup of tea and a cozy, quiet blogging moment (a moment that is often hard to capture unless it comes late at night).   I am thinking of the hopefulness I feel for the New Year ahead, and going over thoughts and plans as we all often do with the prospect of a fresh beginning that  a New Year brings.  I believe 2012 was a difficult year all over the world.  It was a year that reminds me that we are in the last days that Jesus talked about in Matthew 24; And yet in spite of that I feel hopefulness.  That is what living "in Him" does doesn't it?  My Scripture verse this week describes it best to me: "When Jesus spoke again to the people He said,  "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  John 8:12.  No matter how dark the world is, we walk in light if we follow Him.  I love that.

Steve is in recovery this week after another surgery on Friday.  The first surgery from his accident
left some problems that caused greater problems for him.  During that first surgery, one of the screws went out the bone incorrectly and bent, after which, the head to the screw broke off.  The bent part of the screw has pushed the ankle bone away from its proper  place of alignment, and caused the ankle to deteriorate and infused much pain for Steve.  The  screw should have been removed with the second surgery, when the other screws and plates were removed, but it wasn't, so now a new doctor, a new surgery later, and we are excited and hopeful at the prospect of a full recovery in the next few months.  He is feeling greatly relieved, even though he is out of commission for a while.  Last week we enjoyed a lovely Christmas, then went about getting all ready for the surgery and "out of commission" state that he would be in for a while.  He and Eddie split another truck load of wood, and got everything in order on the property and shop, and I de-decorated the tree and house and helped Eddie clean out his room to every last nook and cranny so we could put Steve there during recovery (having him on ground floor is the easiest for us all).  Eddie is now in Luke/Russ/Olga's room .

All this reminds me, that I hadn't up-dated you on the kids; Luke is back in Oregon.  He is working with a friend doing fix ups on repo houses. He is loving the work, and we are glad for him, even though missing him.  Russ came home for Christmas, but Olga who is working in Phoenix,  wasn't able to come home this year, but spent Christmas with my sister and brother in law and Mama in law.  Marie and Jon and Elizabeth and Benjamin are still in Florida working on buying a piece of property with 15 acres and two houses... that is a fun story for another time.  They just celebrated my little grandson Ezra's birthday yesterday, and he turned two.  Nathan and Himilce are in North Carolina working on buying a house, which should close this week, Lord willing.  They are also anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first little granddaughter... due any day.

I will close for the day now, and get back to my list and preparations for this New Year, and New Day, and see if I can begin implementing some new ideas, and some old that I want to try again.  And so let me wish you a Happy New Year, and may you all be healthy, happy and prosperous and may your days  be blessed with  abundant love, peace, joy and grace.

 "When Jesus spoke again to the people He said,  "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
  John 8:12