Goodbye 2008

H A P P Y N E W Y E A R !

What can I say about 2008? I'm glad it's OVER!!

It was exhausting! No, Really, it definitely was NOT
one of my better years.
It started out ok, but there were many serious disappointments.
(One of which, I am still trying to sort out..)
I thought that I had finally learned to let go of the past.
I thought I truly had learned to FORGIVE --
But when something happens to you that just hits you so hard
and SO unexpected...WHEW...when your very breath gets knocked
out and you are in a 'black out' momentarily while your head is
spinning and your heart feels like it was ripped out of your chest,
stomped on and then put back in....
there is no easy way to cope--handle it.
The Word instructs us to turn the other cheek...over come evil
with good.... pray for them that despitefuly use you... and go on
TRUSTING that God has a plan and ALL will work out
according to his purpose, and OH YES, don't forget to SMILE!
It just seemed to me in 2008, (and many other times during the
past several years) that right when I thought:
"ok, this is good...things are looking up" WHAM! ...
I was beat up & left disoriented on the side of the road
with the buzzards nipping at my flesh....(so to speak)
I guess that's why the word states that we should gird
ourselves ALWAYS in the whole armour of God so that we may
WITHSTAND the fiery darts and the wiles of satan...
YOU JUST DON'T EVER KNOW WHAT A DAYS
GONNA BRING!
The Lord didn't say the journey would be easy, but he did say he
would give us strength --"Thank You Lord"

Soooo, hopefully all of that being said, I won't be judged to
harshly when I say that I am hesitant to state that it DOES
seem that the roller coaster that has been my life for the past
5-6 years seems to be slowing down somewhat!
---HALLELUJAH!!!!!!
The awful foreboding feeling of impending doom that seemed to
linger daily, now comes and goes....yippee! :)
I don't want what I am saying to seem cynical or bitter --
it's just simple truth--my truth.
and I don't believe for one minute that I stand alone.

One must be careful of becoming ADDICTED to discouragement,
depression, disappointment, resentment, anger, self pity,
NEGATIVITY, feelings of inadequacy, feeling victimized...
etc... (is that even a word?)
WELL, I believe the ONLY way to do that is to stay in Gods
Word! Abiding in HIM -- spending time with HIM --
HE IS the peace that passes ALL understanding.
When He is reigning on the throne of our lives and keeping
His rightful place, which is: 'first in line'
life becomes much more simplified. I mean, I cannot stand
waiting in long lines..can you?
Just imagine how God must feel when we constantly push
him to the back of the line.

I didn't make any resolutions this year, but I am personally
committed to making some changes. So, all I can say is:
'hit me with your best shot devil', but I'll still be standing when
it's over! "No weapon formed against me can prosper!"

Basically, we just have to wake up every morning giving Praise
and Thanks -- ask God for Strength & Guidance --
then Give our Best, and leave the rest up to HIM!
Expecting Great things in 2009! -- God Bless, Michele
and as Forrest Gump says: "and that's all I have to say about that"