Just the other day, as Joey and I were holding our annual “Colson Budget Summit” for 2012, we took time to take a look back at our financial obligations, challenges, and outcomes from 2011. But we didn’t just stop there. We then also listed out all the ways God provided for us in 2011. It was a refreshing practice to sit and list out so many of the blessings of 2011 and reflect on how God brought our family through another year. As we looked at our “list,” it went much further, beyond just finances – as we reflected on 2011 we were able to see HIS provision for us and how HE continues to be faithful – in all things. In many ways, 2011 was both a year of settling down and a year of change, and also a year of blessings and dreams fulfilled.
First and foremost, this was our first entire year in our first home! In many aspects we are still getting settled - rearranging, reorganizing, and cleaning out! We are starting to understand what it means to be home owners too! It’s a great blessing to have our home and we love it, but we were definitely spoiled having a landlord to call all those years we lived in Virginia! Throughout the year, we were able to complete many “home improvement” projects that included: painting and decorating Benjamin’s nursery, painting our bathroom, putting new light fixtures in both bathrooms, painting the dining room and bathroom, putting up chair rail, and retouching much of the paint on the outside doors and windows. We had the help of friends and family to complete many of these projects, and that definitely helped these two home owner “newbies” :)
In May, perhaps the greatest blessing of 2011 and dream fulfilled came in the form of our precious little boy Benjamin Harper. He was born on Mother’s Day, May 8, 2011 and he is sweeter and lovelier than I could have imagined. He’s got a precious disposition and his smile and big blue eyes can steal anyone’s heart. What an incredible joy he is to our family!
Benjamin’s entry made Abigail an official “Big Sister” and she plays the role quite well! She is very inquisitive of what he is doing, what he needs, and how he wants to “share” his toys. Abigail continues to amaze us with her abilities to count, do her letters, shapes, colors, and just digest and remember information! She really enjoys “watching daddy sing at church” and going to Puggles class in AWANA. Our big girl turned 3 this year, and loves dolls, ballerinas, having tea parties, and playing outside.
Another significantly huge milestone for our family happened in June, just after our 8th wedding anniversary, when Joey officially celebrated his FIFTH year of remission and being cancer free. I remember when Joey was so very ill, and doctors weren’t sure if he’d make it through the year, and a five year remission anniversary seemed so distant. But God healed Joey then, and continues to sustain his health now. To celebrate this particular milestone, Abigail and I decorated the house with yellow streamers and balloons, took a yellow and white cake up to church, took him out to lunch, and got him a shirt that said “ReMission Accomplished.” It was a wonderful “5 Year Cancerversary” celebration.
October 2011 brought the one year anniversary since we packed up our Uhaul and left Lynchburg, and moved to Hartsville, also marking Joey’s first full year as the Worship Pastor at Emmanuel. He absolutely enjoys his job and the wonderful people he gets to serve with and work with.
Those are only a few milestones from the year, but each made a significant impact not only in our 2011, but in our lives, and each shows God’s faithfulness to us. As we look ahead to 2012, I pray that it is a year we can be content in knowing that HE is faithful, wants the best for us, and guides our steps and directs our paths.
**I wrote this blog post a bit over a week ago (just never got around to posting it), without any idea of what would unfold in the days ahead – surgery and days in the hospital for our little boy, mounting medical bills, unexpected time from work, and pure exhaustion. I think the final paragraph – the final sentence – were perhaps words God gave me to type then, knowing I may need them days later, just in time for the first challenge of 2012. “HE is faithful, wants the best for us, and guides our steps and directs our paths.”