It wasn’t the way I wanted the year to go. You know, you make plans. There are things that you want to do — things that you want to accomplish — goals, dreams, and plans… And then it happens.

Life, that is.

Recently, we watched THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL. (My favorite Christmas movie.) In one part of the movie, Bob Cratchett (Kermit the Frog) is talking to his family after the death of Tiny Tim, he says, “…Life is made up of meetings and partings. That is the way of it. I am sure we will never forget Tiny Tim… or this first parting that there was among us…” (Script-o-rama.com)

That line captivated me. I’ve probably seen the movie a few hundred times (literally), but that line really touched me this time. This year, my immediate family experienced it’s first parting — if you’ve read my blog before, you know that. In February, my brother went home to Heaven. As much as I miss him, I would not bring him back into this world for anything, for he is HOME. He is pain free. He is tear free. He is content and complete. And he is in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

I like to remember that he is there with our great-niece, Alorea, with his son, Michael, with my nephew, Chris, with my former student Reid who is not resting in peace — he’s playing in paradise, with our Grandmother who took 100 years of wisdom with her to Heaven, and with our daughter, Jessie, who we never got to meet. His parting was hard on us. But we are moving forward — NOT moving on, but moving forward.

Then, life happened again…

People made decisions that they needed to make. Their choices had lasting impact on situations that affected others around them. And our life has changed as a result.

We quit jobs we loved, left a church we loved, said good-bye to family we love and moved to Wisconsin. It was a big change. And honestly, it has been a hard change, but it has been a good change. I cannot believe how easy the transition was from the Rockie Mountains to the Upper Midwest.

When God is in it — we stand in awe at how difficulties can be simplified.

And once again, life happened…

Our oldest son has been a weight lifter and an MMA fighter. He is a body builder. But he got sick — really sick. And we are 1000 miles away.

And God showed, once again, that He is faithful. His people — our family, colleagues, and friends — have surrounded them, loved them, provided for them, and been there for them when we cannot be.

And we are thankful.
Our son and daughter are blessed.

So…it wasn’t the year I planned — it wasn’t the year that I wanted…but it was the year that God gave to us. It was the one in which He knew He would need to show us His comfort, His compassion, His provision, and His love.

And He has.