Mercies, Faithfulness and Grace

What a year it has been!

It has been a year that has held some genuinely life changing trials, but most of all it has been a year of God's mercies, faithfulness and grace.

A dear friend sent me an email this morning so graciously wishing me and my family a "new and better new year." I know she had David's stroke and its impact on him and our whole family in mind when she wrote, and it does seem that that single huge event has defined the year 2007 for our family. Yet, while we certainly would not have chosen to have gone through that, and while it truly was and remains yet extremely impacting, many blessings and much learning have come even from that.

Certainly, in regard to that situation, we DO wish for better things in the new year. Of the "better" things we would hope for are to be able to get to go on our traditional Pismo Beach camping trip (missed this year while David was hospitalized), for David to run the Sacramento marathon he had planned to run this year, and for David to totally regain function on his left side and to have his cardiac issue successfully repaired so that he can move on into the future with full health.

In spite of David's stroke, and even through our experience with David's stroke, this year has been one of tremendous blessing! I spent the morning going through our MANY HUNDREDS of pictures for my own reminiscing and in order to put up a few here to share.

Um . . .

. . . because there are SO MANY PICTURES illustrating SO MANY BLESSINGS I have found that it's a nearly impossible task to sort through them and pick out a reasonably smallish number to post! I have spent far more time on it than I dare admit, so at this point it is way beyond time for me to give up on that for now and get on with my day! I hope over the course of the next week to post a sampling of our year.

For now, I want to post this hymn, which is such a good reminder of where we have been, where we are going, and Who is holding us and guiding us on our way! It certainly has been "another year of mercies, faithfulness and grace!"

Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee.