2011

In recent years I've taken to stopping and remembering the good things about the year that's about to end. I think I started the year Paul's dad died, because it felt so important to remember things in context. I am an optimist though, my glass is at least half full, I will find the positives in a situation.

2011 feels like an easy year to do this...

My list may not be in the right priority order but here goes

• My lovely new job - long awaited in many ways. I could wax lyrical forever about how lucky I am to have a job that lets me do what God created me to do. I'm also pleased though that its not easy, working with dying children does carry a toll, and establishing a brand new job has been challenging, studying has been hard work but I've loved it. I prayed that the job wouldn't be so good that I'd stop relying on God and this has been answered!!! But its a different stress, one that isn't destroying me. (the fight to get it made permanent if for 2012!)
• My family - Paul turning 50, and, when it came to it, we had the most amazing celebration. Thanks to friends and family who helped me drag him over this hurdle. Street Pastoring has been a really exciting new venture for him. Sarah, completing her degree with style, finding a job she loves, adjusting to life after Uni, living life to the full. PJ- loving being at Southampton, throwing himself into CU stuff, motivating himself enough (!) for his course :) Hannah - loving Children's Nursing, blossoming as an amazing adult in her own right. My mum and dad are pottering on. getting a bit older but doing ok. Paul's mum - the positive is that she is well cared for and not distressed. It's been a good year for spending time with Paul's family, ever deepening friendships. I really value how close the Brombleys are, its awesome being part of a large family. I've also learnt that this means all variations, and the challenges this can bring, that being related doesn't mean that they will do things the same way as me, but it also doesn't make them a bad person. Just themselves.
• Friends - my friends are soooo important to me - what's the saying - friends are the family we chose for ourselves? You are all so special to me
• Church - I suppose another branch of family with even wider variations of characters - I'm trying again to allow people to be themselves, not put my expectations or needs upon them. After all its my walk with God I'm responsible for
• Which leaves me Yahweh - as ever I don't give Him enough time, but He never fails me, never, and possibly my one resolution (I don't bother with them really) is to make a renewed effort to spend more time with Him

So here's to 2012, may we all walk the path God has placed before us, with Joy as we walk beside Him, or let Him carry us if the going gets tough.

Earlier I watched a bit of last year's BBC's Nativity. I loved this last year, a fresh way to 'see' a story I know so well but is fundamental to my faith. This morning I was struck by a conversation supposedly between 2 of the magi. I've tried to find the exact words but can’t, but it went something like this...

Do you believe in God?

Yes...

What kind of God do you believe in? Do you think He is a power, that came, created and moved on, or a presence that has stayed with us, walking alongside us, guiding us, enabling us to grow up, rescuing us when we lost our way?

And it struck me that this is what makes Christianity different from many religions. Yahweh, God with us, Emmanuel, any of His names cry of His love for me, for us. He isn’t a random almighty power that made a bang and then moved on to bigger and better. He stayed with us, among us, got His hands dirty, was born in a stable, or a cave, grew up, ministered to us, died, rose again, saved us. And then stays with us through His Holy Spirit.

It's a mystery - why He chose to love us, how this thing called faith works, why He sometimes intervenes and why He doesn’t. But somewhere, sometime, I met my Lord. I know Him as a person, and I am blown away by Him. And, although I often get distracted by everyday life, I want to know Him better, love Him more, become more like Him.

So this Christmas - Happy Christmas - may you have the time and opportunity to meet with Him, for the first time, or the millionth.

December

Once again Christmas has snuck up on me. I'm going to blame the course I'm doing (two weeks today I'll have done all the exams), but realistically it always happens. I don't like planning and preparing for Christmas too early but that does mean I always have a moment like this! We're going shopping on monday in Bath and I have no idea what we're going to be buying :0 I do have some presents - PJs and Hannah's and Katy's, but that's it!

 

But I'm looking forward to going to Bath, spending the day with Paul. They have some lovely shops, and a really lovely Christmas market. It's going to be interesting because we're trying to be much more careful with our money, as, along with most people, money is tighter than we'd like.

 

On a different note I cant help comparing with this time last year, when I was desperately counting down the days I had to work until I changed jobs. How quickly that year has gone, and how very very grateful I am that I am in this place, not that one :D