Three Stars and A Wish

Welcome to 2014!

Last night, as I rang in the New Year, book in hand and a sleeping Mr. Awesome by my side, I thought about 2013 and all it brought our way. I'm sure the blogosphere is full of 'Year in Review' posts today so I'm not going to bore you with a rambling monologue about my year as a whole but I am going to steal an idea from Mischief's elementary school.

At the end of each term, when I sit down for the Parent/Teacher meeting, I am handed a piece of paper that says "Three Stars and a Wish." While I wait for my turn to speak with the teacher I am meant to write down three things I think Mischief did well this term and one thing I'd like him to work on next term. I like how this gives us the opportunity to celebrate the triumphs and name our future victory and so, in this, the first post of the new year, I offer you my Three Stars and a Wish.

Star 1 - I wrote a book this year! Although I have yet to figure out how and when I will publish it, it is written. I wrote, edited and rewrote and polished to completion. I finished what I started and I wrote a book.

Star 2 - I am working at my dream job only it is a dream I never knew I had. In September I became the Children's Pastor at my church. The journey was long, winding and, at times, frustrating but through the past two years I have learned volumes about God's faithfulness and the benefits of resting in Him. Relaxing into God's plan, and more importantly, His timing has brought greater joy, fulfillment and peace than I ever thought possible.

Star 3 - Each night when I tuck my kids in and again each morning as I drive them to school I pray for them. Part of each prayer includes this sentence, "Lord, help them to be good friends so that they may attract good friends to them and may the law of kindness ever be on their tongues." All five of us in This Random Family have seen and felt this prayer come to being. This has become the year of friendship. We have each learned, in our own way, what being a good friend is and how that brings good friends to us. We also continue to focus on living a life infused with kindness. And because we are flawed beings, we are learning the value of grace as well. Friendship, Kindness and Grace have been the greatest gifts we have received this year, by far!

My Wish - My wish for this coming year is to be fearless in the face of adventure. I want to embrace life, to live each moment, to take risks. I want to stop disqualifying myself before the moment has even begun. I only have this one life and if I succumb to fear instead of boldly embracing opportunity then what's the point of living? My wish is to live!

Courage is being scared but saddling up anyway!
~John Wayne