Snap By Snap

I bought Christmas cards this year, I did. I even wrote the dreaded Christmas letter and printed some photos to include. And then .... I don't remember much after that. A sledge hammer of work stress descended on me at the worst possible time of the year. We had decorated the house at Thanksgiving, so I had plenty of twinkly lights and our tree to enjoy, but I did not do one bit of shopping or even really think about Christmas until about the 22nd, and the Christmas cards are still sitting on the shelf. It's a shame, because I wrote an awesome Christmas letter this year.


The best Christmas present I received this year was an understanding family. Late nights were met with hot meals, candlelight, Christmas music, and a listening ear. All of my family prayed for me, including my Church family. December slipped by, my scheduled two week vacation shrunk to a handful of days, I blinked, and Christmas was over.

Fortunately, Banjo added a lot of fun to Christmas this year. In the midst of long hours and stress, he brought lots of laughter in unexpected moments. I had heard that laughter is the best medicine, and now I'm a believer. After we filmed the video below, I felt absolutely GREAT for the rest of the day.


Banjo's santa suit taught us two things. First, we had to admit that we are the type of people who dress up their dog. There. I said it. It is sad, and possibly an artifact of two 50 year olds with an empty nest, but there you have it. Secondly, it has taught us how to calm down our dog. Banjo moves much more slowly in a sweater. He also walks sideways. So it is funny AND useful.

Today is January 1, 2012. I have a hard time believing that, but it's true. The scary part is that Amy is leaving for London in nine days. That's a week and two days. 216 hours. And she is NOT ready to go. So tomorrow we will try to finish up shopping for her trip, and try to get our heads around the details of having a twenty year old living in another country for three months.


There's a lot to get done, big changes to digest and process, and new year beginning.

I am not a big one for new year's resolutions. I do tend to set goals, but I am cautious of resolutions. I am more interested in progress and am happiest when I see progress in work, home, and relationships. But this year, I think I will try my hand at a resolution.

My resolution is to hold on to, to believe, the promises made to me. Like this one:

For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. ¹² Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.   _ Jeremiah 29: 11-14

It is an almost overused verse - and unfortunately scripture can often be relegated to the level of "favorite quotes" instead of real, life changing promises meant to affect our daily lives. This year is the year I know I cannot do it by myself (and pretty sure I've known that before) - and there's no way that gritting my teeth and trying harder will do. I need the promises.

When I was in high school, being the Bible Nerd that I was, I spent some of my hard earned Pioneer Chicken money on a book titled "The Jesus Person Pocket Promise Book."  (Yes, I did grow up in the 70's - and proud of it!) I had a hard time, then, believing that the promises were for me - but maybe that was because I still believed that what I did, I accomplished because I was really just that smart, talented, and lucky. Nothing like 50 years to teach a person what they don't know and what it really takes to make it through a day. Or a year.

Maybe next year I'll send out two years worth of Christmas letters and cards. Maybe not. Either way, I hope I will be celebrating the year knowing it wasn't by my own power that I made it through. That I made it through holding on to the hand of the One who made promises He knew I'd need.