End of a decade. Really?

Unbelievably, tomorrow is the first day of the last month of this decade?  What?  How did this happening?  Where was I?  What was I doing?  Seems like I was simply living my life and time had the audacity to FLY BY!  Kelly and I were talking yesterday about how 2010 has been quite the year for our whole family and while we wouldn't trade it (OK, maybe we would trade some of it) in for a "better" year -- we won't be so sad to put a period at the end of it and close this chapter of the story. 

Like many of you -- we have been challenged in ways we would have never dreamed about by the circumstances of this past year.  We've had so much joy this year, celebrated with family and friends as they've gotten good news, had babies, gotten married, been healed from disease, gotten the job they were desperate for, seen their children come home, and been delivered from some form of bondage.  We've struggled too, and sometimes it's happened right in the shadow of the joy.  We've said good-bye way too early, been separated from people we love, watched our children suffer, had difficult/painful conversations, experienced relational fractures, felt like God was silent, looked into the face of hunger, isolation, and despair, had some pretty tough conversation with doctors, and laid awake at night wondering about our future.  This, as we keep learning is called LIVING YOUR LIFE.  But the thing that has set this year apart from any other in this decade or the last is that we have experienced all of this -- the joy and the struggle -- and not once lost sight of the Hope that is ours because of the One who has made joy possible and struggle bearable.  For that, we start this month differently than any other Advent season before -- with an awareness of the celebration that's coming...
The arrival of Immanuel -- God with us.

Yesterday we went to the Doctor.  He is pleased with my progress.  Still a little concerned with my lack of weight gain (but I didn't lose so that's good), but mostly he's feeling good about where I am.  He gave me permission to ease back into life -- activities, exercise, and work.  His word of caution: "If it hurts, don't do it", made me laugh.  Reminded me that you can be super educated, have the amazing skill set it requires to do really complicated surgical procedures on folks, and still -- it comes down to the basics.  Another reason I really like this guy. 

Needless to say -- we're feeling really grateful for where we are at this stage.  Still so aware that it's a day to day thing and that without our support system, faith, and each other -- we'd be utterly lost.  Which takes me back to reflecting on the decade.  No matter what has happened in ours or yours -- we're still here.  Still trying to live a life worthy of whatever it is might be God's heart for our existence and tomorrow is another day in THAT adventure!!

Happy December all!
Suze