As I write this, it is the final few hours of 2022.
It was an eventful year, that's for sure. A lot of things happened that I didn't see coming, but God has been so good. He has walked close beside us every minute of every day. We have been brought to our knees, and we have rejoiced in His goodness. Isn't that the way of life though?
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| Sunrise in a new place. |
Today we are saying good-bye to dear Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. What a gift he has been to the Church. He was truly a giant in the way that he approached the Truth. There is so much that he gave us, and I haven't even tapped into it yet. I am still trying to work through the prolific mind of Pope John Paul II!
In 2023 we have some big changes coming, that we know of, and probably some that we don't!
I will finish up at the School of Spiritual Direction at Franciscan. I hope to be mostly finished with the requirements by April, and then I just have to finish paying for the program. I am thinking of getting some part time work to have extra for that, and travel to and from Texas, and some other expenses.
We will also welcome Madi into our family! Paul and Madi will be married the 17th of June!
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| ~Rachel Clesi Photography |
If all goes well, at some point after I finish school, we hope to be able to relocate to Texas! I am praying that sometime in August or September we can look for a house. If that works out we will be living down there next New Year's, and Dad can have his birthday in a new home. I would love that.
We went to Mass tonight and it was so beautiful. Tonight we celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Fr Francis spoke about how Mary is there for us as a loving mother, and how we can always go to her for help. He also talked about how important it is to keep reaching out to others to share the love of God. I sometimes get lost in the details of all that we have going on and I forget how important that simple task is. Just looking at the person in front of you and seeing them for who they are, beloved and wanted children of God, needs to be that ONE thing that gets done every single day. If we are praying in the morning and the evening, we are given the entire day to do the work of God, which is simply to love. No matter how much I accomplish in the course of a day, if the people that come into it haven't encountered love in me, then I have not lived that day well. I want to do better. I have to do better.
Tomorrow is Dad's 82nd birthday! I wish he was able to be at Laura's. He loves having Christmas and New Years with the Cookes. Well, whatever the year brings, I hope that happens for him next year.
I think I will go watch Lilly ride tomorrow. We are having a little bit of a thaw and I am hoping that it dries out enough for Lilly and Ghost to get out for a ride. I took these pictures the other day. They have moved to another place and it is really beautiful up there!
