Theme word for 2011: HOPEFUL

I am so HOPEFUL for the next year.  So excited to see what God has planned.  Last year was incredible!   We began the year wondering how our adoption would go - our first birthmother had changed her mind in the fall.  Brad's job was not stable, and there was great concern and stress, especially for Brad.  In all of that God was leading us to get involved with Compassion and several other organizations.  We followed His leading.  Brad kept his job, and soon we were matched with Cody's birthmom!  An amazing year.  I loved living every moment looking to God.

So this year I am looking to God with expectation.  I am hopeful for adventure.  I am hopeful to move past some of my lingering sin.  Particularly, I want to be slow to speak and speaking compassionately all the time!  Even when I'm tired and worn down or my house is a mess or my children sin.  My heart wants kind words to be spoken, but out of my heart other words come out.  Am I building up others when I speak ALL THE TIME?  Am I speaking the truth in love ALL THE TIME?  I want to, but I don't.  I know I may never do that all the time, but I want it to be most of the time.  I want to have to apologize less for things I say.  Maybe I've been trying to conquer this sin too much on my own.  So, I'll pray to the Lord more!  I know I need to be filling my heart more with God's word so that "out of the overflow of my heart, my mouth will speak."

I am hopeful for God to be working in my husband's life and in each of my children.  I hope to be the wife and mother that points them to the Lord.  Sometimes I get busy outside of my family, but I know God has given me my family as my first place of ministry.  I need to keep myself reminded of this, probably daily.

I am hopeful to enjoy watching God tell His Story in our family, every detail.  God is so amazing in the details!  I want to enjoy my family in the ages and stages that we are.  So what if I am not getting much done because I am carrying Cody around right now.  It is so short.  Even if my house is a mess.  This is when I can get a little grouchy.  But, I love Cody's smiles, his soft feet.  I love Lila's sense of humor and her craving for the spotlight in our house.  I love listening to Mara talk about her friends and to see her interests developing.  I want to listen to Kyle sort through life as he is getting to be grown up.  I already have things I would have done differently in my parenting so far.  I give those to God, hopeful that He can bring good from my mistakes.  I will try to press on to the future.  I'm just starting out with Cody and Lila's only 5 years..  Have I learned what's important yet? 

I also hope to be still with God.  To be quick to learn.  To be quick to obey.  To follow God fully.  And to pray continually. 

HOPEFUL