New Year & a New Faith

No that title doesn't mean that I've found something new to put my faith in. My faith is firmly planted in Jesus Christ. However, it does not mean that the Lord cannot renew my faith as I've entered this new year.

Never satisfied in staying in one place, I always seek new growing opportunities today I received a fabulous one, for the Lord allowed me to show His saving grace to "T" and she chose to receive Christ as her saviour.

A new faith for a new year. What a fabulous start!

Auld Lang Syne

I should first say that I've never really understood this song. But upon looking it up on Wikipedia I've at least learned what the phrase means.

Auld Lang Syne = "Days gone by" or "Old times"

and that seems a bit fitting for my last post of 2010. What has happened in this year, these days, that have gone by? How has the Lord taken care of me? And what have I learned along the way? (sidebar: not every month will be covered)

February: I moved from Coupeville to Oak Harbor and helped in the blessing of the Sweethearts Banquet at church. The SHB is one of the highlights of the BBC callendar, and in serving those couples that I love I get great joy and satisfaction.

May: My Birthday! Another year older...and hopefully a little wiser. I can be a pretty selfish person at times (it's something that I'm working on), but being 31 has me thinking outside of myself and looking at how I can try to be a blessing to others.

June: I go to Washington D.C. to attend LTIA & give Senator Cantwell a "talking to"...well maybe just a little. June had the SPG's traveling to DC to learn about our country, it's foundation of Biblical values and how to lead effectively (that is it in summary, because really it was so much more). I also got to finally meet Julie!!! My e-Buddy for the past 3...almost 4 years now. You never would have known it was our first time meeting each other.

July: I said so long to one of my SS girls as she moved with her family to the Methow Valley. We miss Lilly, but I know she'll be a blessing to her fathers ministry as she grows up there. I said goodbye to my other friends for the ministry as well. The Lord had me reimursed for a discrepancy that I made in paying back the FAFSA people for my loan, it was a NICE payback. I needed the money right at that time too. Now if I had not have made the oversight I would have kept the money that is true, but I probably would have squandered it, and I know exactly what that money is for and haven't touched it since I got it (trust me it will come in handy in the coming months). And I also started my involvement with the Central Whidbey Republican Women (that's right Nancy), and the campaign for Kelly Emerson as Island County Commissioner. Call it inspiration from the prior months activities. I'll call it the summer of sign waving.

Summer: The summer also had me working with Alyssa on photos for a book that she was contacted about for her vertical garden and taking photos for A Knot in Thyme for the new brochure that they wanted to put together. A busy fun summer of taking photos, but it was satisfying.

September: After a stressful month prior at work I made my way over the mountains to visit Kali & Maggie and our evangelists over in the Methow Valley. I even got an extra day off of work! It was a very restful Labor day weekend and the Lord encouraged me with my visit over there.

October: The Lord spared my job. That's right folks. Just a few months prior Pastor Sargent had preached a message and within it made a point about working and how we should be thankful for the work that he does give us. Well during that message I was going through a time where I was not happy about what I was doing and it was affecting my work ethic & motivation. During that time also though things were changing behind the scenes at work. Well The message that night changed my thoughts and so I changed me actions accordingly and was rewarded with getting to keep my job.

November: I house sat for 2 weeks (during Thanksgiving) only to have the tool shed of my friends house topple over in a huge wind storm, which was followed by snow a few days later. I battled frozen spickets and icy roads. November also brought an old friend to WA from Michigan and it was so great to see her. Her father was the Pastor of the church that I was saved in back in Sicily and the last time I saw Joyce she was 16. Now she's a young woman in her 20's, man time flys! It was great to fellowship with her for a couple days.

December: Brought a new ministry opportunity with the Bible studies with "T" and a trip to go see my family in CA, and the apartment ads in the paper as I look yet again for another place to live. Hopefully one of these days I can make one last move and call it HOME for real.

Through all my travels the Lord kept me safe, and brought me back to home. He provided in some pretty miraculous ways and I look forward to seeing what He sets in motion for me in 2011.

Happy New Years everybody!!!

And God send you a Happy New Year

Happy New Year to you all, mysterious readers that you are. Roughly 2,300 views of my blog this year and yet the only comments still remain from my friends. Oh well, thank you for reading anyway.

Last night was our annual watch night service at church. There was Pastor Sargent's annual Bible Quiz, this year it was taken out of 1 Thessalonians. And naturally there was preaching. This year, however, we had Talent Time a time were we got to share our talents that the Lord has blessed us with. See out church theme for this year id Cultivating the Commitment. There are plenty of able bodies in out church that have gifts to share ad last night that was apparent to all.

There were music specials. . .

There were specials in song. . .

Kali & Alyssa Sing "Lord Here Am I"

A Girls Trio sings "I Love You Lord"

Finally the attenders were treaded to the Silent SPG's. The Monks are cute enough, but we all thought they were a bit played out at this point so we decided to simplify it. And you know what, everyone liked it just as much, even without all of the hype that the Monks have stirred up; and honestly this is the best time that we went through it, go figure.

2009 ended with a bunch of us over at the Waldron's ringing in the New Year with fun and laughs. This was the 3rd year that all of us showed up there and it will be sad that the tradition will have to change with their impending move accross the mountains. So it was nice to have that time together.

The best is yet to be, welcome 2010!