Our first snowfall of the season fell yesterday, about five inches. I love the sunlight after a snow storm. Delicious.
Looking back on a year of writing on this blog, there are a few posts that stand out for me. There was a post in February that listed 41 Things I Love About My Wife. Next year we will celebrate 14 years of marriage. In April I blogged a long quote from Frederick Buechner on Every Man Is a Mystic. His little book of sermons called The Magnificent Defeat was a beautiful thing to read. In October I wrote brief reflection on a reading from the gospels, Death Is a Small Thing. There were also a number of posts about walking, which was a key life change for me this year.
The most popular post by far this year, as usual, was a sermon on Blind Bartimaeus, followed by a sermon on Doubting Thomas, both of which are under the Sermons tab above. The most popular non-sermon post (again) was one I wrote on James Sire. A post on A New Name For God got minor attention on the Christian Century Blogs network I belong to.
Parts of this year I do not want to look back on because of embarrassment, although they tended to make me a better person. I am grateful for how the Spirit weaves all the strands together in a tapestry. With St Paul now I want to forget what is behind and lean toward what is ahead. (Philippians 3:13)
You can’t make an ommlette without breaking eggs!
Aren’t you glad you took the time face your fears, pain and embarressment – though it wasn’t a matter of choice as you were squeezed through the narrow gate – and were led onwards to a larger place, a new life.
Hebrews 12:11
“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”
“…..the Spirit weaves all the strands together in a tapestry.” …YES, i can relate to the evolutionary ‘phases’ of one’s spirituality,,some embarrassing periods,some humorous, but all were rich and nourishing and needed at the time…This has me pondering as to what might be down the pike,so to speak…..
And give thanks to the healer. The midwife that assisted the birth.
There are no mistakes.
Oh I definitely make mistakes, and carry regrets, but God in His grace uses it all for my good.
“Whatever God ordains or allows in our regard, happiness or misfortune, pleasure or pain, it all contributes to our eternal bliss; for everything that comes to us has been foreseen by God from all eternity. It has always existed in His mind, where it was decreed that things should happen in this manner and not another. Thus we should be at peace about it all.” (John Tauler)