Wednesday, December 31, 2014

A Reflection on 2014...Happy New Year!

                      Sometimes

                                               said Pooh

                       the smallest things

                         take up the most

                      room in your Heart.

                                              -a.a. milne 


I am almost always amazed when another year is just around
the corner. Yesterday, at breakfast, Bert and I reflected on 2014.
We're like that, a teacher and a counselor, always eager to look
at the learnings. 

Life lessons. What moved us? How did God come along side us? 
What adventures did we risk taking? What touched our hearts in 2014? 
What do we wish we had done differently? What brought us to our feet cheering? What broke our hearts? When did we show compassion? When do we wish we had given more, been there more, shown more forgiveness?

My word, and  our word, for 2014 was...  
                WHOLE-HEARTED...all in.

Be whole-heartedly in love with each other and the gift of our lives.
Be whole-hearted about sharing our love and God's love with others.
Have adventures ! Embrace our failures. Relish the hard times and the 
good times. Be present. Soak it all in with unending gratitude.
The miracles of 2014 reside in our hearts. The large and the small.

And we found, in looking back, that often the smallest things take up the most room in our hearts. 

The unexpected thank you note from a 13 year old grandson, a text message hearing a granddaughter loves us, a hug when we needed one. Time with family, playing games or being superheroes together. Seeing our adult children wrap their sweet children in love and care and attention.  Getting a text that a coffee card, and the cup of coffee it provided, saved the day. Having authentic conversations, no matter how hard. Old friends and new friends. God coming beside us in moments of deep grief.

We are so grateful for it all.

 Our word for 2015? We've got it! That's for another post. :)

And may you know that no matter what 2014 brought your way....
that it is ALL a gift. Even those things that don't look gift wrapped.
Even the hardest gut-wrenching moments. Life-lessons to be learned.
How blessed we are to have one more day to learn them.

And as 2014 comes to a close and 2015 peeks its head around 
the bend... 

May you live every day as if it was your last. 
And may you know that God loves you and holds you in the
palm of His almighty hand. He will never leave you or forsake you.
Never.ever. No matter what. That's a promise.

Happy New Year!
Love you all to the moon and back!

Linda and Bert
aka Nana and Boppa

 

1 comment:

Vicky said...

Something in your words brings me sweet tears of relief tonight. I feel such comfort in them, and feel YOU through them. You mentor me in all the ways I long to be through your insightful, and generous words.

Whole-hearted fits you to perfection!

Your beautiful surprise arrived just the other day! It was such a mood lifter, I can't even begin to tell you. Infusion was harder on me than expected this time- but I'll be up and back soon with more to say :)

So much love to you!!

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