This Year's Lessons...

As we come to the end of another year, and another decade, it is again time for me to reflect on what the Lord has taught me. In a year that has brought the greatest happiness and the greatest hurt I’ve yet experienced, through it all, my Lord has been faithful. Once again in no particular order, here is my list:

1. Expectations can cause real heartache
2. You can learn a lot even from a fiction book!
3. I have faithful, caring friends and family who support me when I’m broken
4. Prayer brings peace that you can’t find any other way (and don’t be afraid to ask others to pray with/for you!)
5. Even when I AM paying attention, I can still get seriously bonked in the head with a volleyball
6. The best comfort comes from those who have been there
7. His words really are the only ones you can depend on
8. Busyness can become a distraction
9. You should celebrate with those who celebrate even if you don’t feel like celebrating
10. His strength is made perfect in our weakness
11. Sometimes doing the very best you can still isn’t enough to bring success
12. Sometimes He has to break me to change me, but that’s ok
13. Guard your heart
14. Don’t lower your standards. It can happen when you aren’t looking!
15. Words are a powerful weapon
16. Even when we fail, He is there to pick us up and carry us on
17. The best way to keep yourself busy is to help others
18. I still love SLEEP!
19. He is with me in my darkest night
20. God is STILL Good!

Inbox > Options > Erase Inbox > Erase All Messages? Yes = Erasing > Erased!

The other day I was purging my phone’s text message inbox when it dawned on me that I find it to be a rather cleansing experience. I had gone through and unlocked some messages I had been saving in an attempt to feel free of those words or sentiments. So, I was keenly aware of exactly what words were dissapearing from my phone forever – never to be retrieved again (at least in my lack of technical knowledge there is no retrieving them again). As the little symbol showed the messages were “Erasing”, I felt strangely free, a sense of finality.

And then it hit me, as brief a time as it took to erase those messages, it takes even less time for my Savior to erase much worse from me than those little messages. All I have to do is confess my sins to Him, and in my mind I can see the little “Erasing” word and symbol going to town, faster than lighting. Such a blessing to feel that kind of cleansing, to embrace His forgiveness. To know that I don’t have to be who I was just one second ago or wait for new year’s resolutions. I can start over Now or Now or Now or any Now I want when I look to Him to give me a fresh start.