My Resolve in 2012

My mind ran through many themes for a blog entry making it difficult deciding where to land on this first post of 2012.  However, there was one reoccurring thought that kept revolving back to mind and it seemed destiny predicted I would write on life’s unknown. One day in January I was packing away Christmas ornaments and I was struck with the realization that unknown things were going to happen in the New Year. That is inevitable and a thing out of my control. It also occurred to me that of the uncontrollable things happening that some would cause happiness and others would not. It is those unknown others that frighten and worry me the most about the next 12 months.   

In 2011, the event that affected me more than any was the unexpected passing of my oldest brother, Johnny. The first of my siblings to pass away after our parents, his death seemed to heighten my worrisome nature. Having hip surgery back in October of 2010 and surviving months of recovery, Johnny was finally back on the job. Coworkers said of that dreadful day that he grasped his chest, gasped his last breath and collapsed. The day was June 20 when my other brother called me in Sugar Land to tell me our brother was unconscious and paramedics had not been able to resuscitate him. Kim and I were in Sugar Land that day to help our son, Kyle, pack his home and family for a move almost 400 miles away. Kyle, wife, Amanda and our sweet granddaughter, Olivia were on their way to live in Abilene. Personally, their move was the second most affective thing that happened in my life in 2011. Taking a close third was our youngest son losing his teaching job in Baytown, ending a 2-year teaching position in a junior high school theater class. All of those incidents left me wondering, as I placed green and gold tree ornaments in boxes, of what unsettling events would affect my life in this New Year.

Unfortunately, my natural tendency is see the glass half empty. I’m working on it and attempting to learn from people who appear to see the glass half full. My brother's passing, while terribly sad, brought our family back together for a memorial. As these sorts of events draw relatives distanced by life's changes, we were able to remember Johnny's life and renew familial relationships. Kyle and Amanda have settled into their new jobs. While I still wish they lived closer to us, we reveled in a long visit with them and Olivia over the holidays here in our house. As for our youngest son, Ryan, he is working for a friend, content and perhaps glad he is not teaching school.

So, why must I anguish over things out of my control doing nothing to prevent the inevitable depressed wave of emotion? As the Father of creation, God knows his children. He knows me. He pleads for us to cast our eyes on the cross and the One who can guide us through the valleys of this life. In 2012 my resolve is to trust in God’s promises to prevent worry of the unknowns. There will likely be blessings as well as sadness in 2012. My hope is in God with whom all things are possible. 

As for me, I call to God, and the LORD saves me: Psalm 55:16