Hello 2016

Hello 2016

     Yesterday, I ran to the store to get a few things and there were so many people doing the same thing. As I was checking out I was lucky to get one of my favorite checkers. She has gone through so much, but always has a smile on her face and never a negative thing to say. In line we started talking about the year we had and how quickly it seemed to go by. A couple months prior I had bought a gift card to give to her. For my anniversary someone gave me a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory and I enjoyed it, so I thought I would pay it forward to someone else. I didn’t know that she had just lost someone very close to her and they were going to go to his funeral later and afterwards they were planning to go out for some dessert. I handed her the gift card and she was very thankful. I didn’t realize it until after she walked away and my daughter Sarah said, “Mom that’s funny, we gave her a gift card to the Cheesecake Factory and she was buying cheesecake,”
    
     Anyway, back to standing in line talking to her. She shared how she had lost both her dad and her Uncle to various causes, and lost three teenagers in the family due to suicide. She said that you have to love yourself and I said that I was so sorry for such loss. I also said that suicide just gives your pain to someone else and she just kept saying, so true. This broke my heart and I told her that I would pray for healing for her family. We talked a bit more as she finished checking my groceries, but she had a line of people to check out, so we said our goodbyes.


     Today is the first year of 2016 and a chance to start new. True, but in some ways this isn’t the case. Though the circumstances we may not have any control of; however, we can control our outlook. Every year I find a word that I want to represent what I want to do or change in the coming year instead of a New Year’s Resolution. I have not found my word yet, but have several that I have been throwing around. I want my word to represent change, action, and my attitude. I also want the word to represent solid results and no more sitting on the sidelines just hoping for things to be accomplished. Most of all I want to be a testimony of God’s love to others. I want to be the change. Maybe, my word should be change?


     This coming year will be full of change with all my children growing up. My son J.J. will be going off to college and yet again the dynamics of our home will be effected. I have been working on so many goals that I need to accomplish, so in many aspects I need things to change. I have some of my own actions I need to work on, so again I need change. I see many hurting and in need of change, so why couldn’t I be the change they are looking for? I’m not saying I can change their situation, but I can be a light of compassion to them. I want to make a difference in this world; I want to be a positive change in this not so caring world. If anything I want to be the light of Christ. Which brings me to another thing I need to change, and that is the time I spend with my Lord and Savior. He is the only one who can give me all I need to face this coming year and get over some things from this past year, and beyond.
     
     So, here I am the first day of the New Yew and I am going to step out in faith and say that if you don’t know God as your personal Savior than my prayer for you is that you will seek Him. He said that if you seek Him you shall find Him. He is my source of all hope and can be yours too.
I want to take the time to thank all of you who have in anyway shown me kindness, have prayed for me, and have challenged me. I pray that this New Year will be one of healing, success, and blessing to you all. I also want to say that if I have offended anyone or failed you in any way, I am sorry. If there is anything I can pray for you for this year, please let me know and I will add you to my prayers. May God bless you and keep you close always.

Love, Trish Iiams