When Reality Hits

I have never entered a new year with so much foreboding. So much holding on to the old year. So much trepidation. Even fear. And lots of uncertainty.

Yeah, the economy is bad, the war is sad and the change in presidency could inflict a lot of change in our world, etc. But the biggest reason for the unwillingness to go into the new year is because my brother and brother-in-law are leaving for a whole year and going to Iraq. They won't even be home for next Christmas.

That is sad. Because Christmas time always promises the gathering of families. Or so we like to think.

Have you ever stopped to think about what a whole year can bring? I was the other day. It dawned quite obviously on me that 12 months have a lot of potential to bring a vast experience of excitement, grief, change, burdens, hopes and dreams fulfilled. It's such a huge variety of what life holds that to look ahead to a year that already gives a glimmer of sadness, makes it even more foreboding to head into it.

On the lighter side, a child can go from barely wiggling to walking in a year's time. Another child can go from not knowing their alphabet to learning how to read in a year's time. And conceivably speaking (pun not intended), a child can go from conception to pregnancy to birth to 3 months old in a year's time. Even a woman can go from one pregnancy to another in a year's time. (not that it's ever happened to me before...)

A job can be lost, a house can be sold, a trip around the world can be taken, a move can be made, etc, all within a year's time.

And what about hard change. Like death. Or misunderstandings. Or sickness. It can all happen in a years time.

Reality can be hard to grasp. Even harder to accept. But, sometimes whether you're ready or not, reality hits and life goes on. I admire the courage of my brothers and their ability to embrace the reality of a year of war. But, a year of worry for me doesn't sound too thrilling.

The perspective of my reality versus their reality is enough to sober me into a year of prayer. Why worry when you can pray, right? And that's what I intend to do for the next 13 months.

Pray with me please.