Its is Monday 22nd of November 2010 and its cold and grey outside and as I sit at my laptop looking out onto my leaf covered garden I have been taking a couple of hours to review this last year. It is almost time to begin to write the annual family newsletter to be included in our Christmas cards and with so much happening in 2010 its good to just have time to reflect...
This year began with Cat and Nick beginning a journey of hope...a journey of trusting God...a journey of faith and a journey that they had no real idea of where they would end up. It also began with the knowledge that finally Chris would be made redundant...after months and months of rumour and speculation we knew his days were numbered and this too would mean we would also embark on a journey...The year marked our first year for a very long time being Debt Free....with having paid our IVA in full at the end of last year we knew we would be setting off into a new beginning for us financially..( altho being made redundant didn't seem like a great start.!! )For me personally it brought a huge change in that I laid down everything I was involved with in church life....a lot had happened in the first few months that caused me to have a major wobble in many ways. The saddest part in all of that is that relationships were deeply affected and I know that I didn't handle that well. The after effects are still having some influence on my journey but I am walking by faith and trusting God for 2011.
Reflecting back on the year ...one main theme that has interspersed every part of our lives has been our family and friends...we have had more family gatherings...more time with our friends than ever before and for this we thank God that what could have been a long hard year has been made a lot easier by the support love and encouragement we have had . Our children and their partners and spouses have made such a great effort to celebrate our times together....whether walking the dogs...eating out at fabulous restaurants...hanging out with a dvd....ordering a pizza....mothers day...fathers day....Chris official last day at work.,..all have been so special. Our friends have made Sundays at The Manor a regular time to be together...cups of tea...trips to London in a limo...time spent wandering the shops and garden centers...laughing and crying and praying together all have been the fabric in which God has weaved his strength into our lives.
Bringing life up to date on this cold and grey day...Chris is now "retired" and will be living his dream....for decades he has dreamt of serving the church in a support role involving audio and IT support...many times we would wish we weren't in debt so he could give a day a week or similar to the church and now he/we are in a position to do this...God has opened up the door for this to begin in next month . He has also been doing painting and decorating for folk..so if you need some work done..CJ is the man who can !!!
The journey that Cat and Nick have been on came to its destination last week with the arrival of Elisha James Kent...and oh heavens what an answer to prayer he is. God has been faithful in every way and I am still awed by HIS goodness. Elisha is so beautiful and Cat and Nick are so enjoying every second of this precious wee boy. I am now officially a Granny and will answer to Granny Mooney. When we got the call to let us know he had arrived and all was well...I can only tell you my life changed in a micro second...I knew it would never be the same again. You read about "joy" and wonder if it is a real emotion or if it can be adequately described and I can tell you it must have been "joy" that filled me at that moment cos I haven't experienced anything close to this emotion and so far it is still filling my every waking moment.
In reviewing this year I am grateful for new friendships..people who I have known for many years but not necessarily as close friends seem to have moved into my life in a deeper way ... Being able to be vulnerable and honest brings its own rewards. I am part of a wee study group doing MORPH...and just hanging out regularly with this group having breakfast together and looking at what God is doing in our lives is all part of the years journey and I am looking forward to ongoing spiritual growth in 2011.
Finally....as all our family gathered at Cat and Nicks on Sunday to celebrate Elisha and to drink champagne and just be a multi generational family...Chris made a toast...and my heart was full....you see for decades Chris own dad has been the "Patriarch" of our family...Grandad Mooney(altho he is now to be known as Great Grandad Mooney ) is always the one who makes the speeches and toasts etc and it is always a tearjerker moment as he always says that FAMILY is the most precious of things and here we were now with Chris doing the honours as our very own Patriarch and it was just the most special of times as we all raised our glasses to Elisha and to Cat and Nick as we enter into a new realm of multi generational family times.
For all of the above and all that is to come may God be given praise and thanks .
