Wednesday, April 05, 2006

New Year's Musings - Jan 1, 2006


The clock has ticked a new year into place, and as is so often the case, this is a time in which I evaluate myself and my life.

The past year has been an eventful one. We opened Integrity Fire Protection Systems and Steve has done a remarkable job with the company. I was happy to quit my job at the end of July to come and help him in the business. This meant that Steve could go from working 18 hours a day to 12 or 13.

This year saw Alex graduate high school and head off to college, Kristen move to Phoenix and Craig deployed to Iraq. So Steve and I have had to get used to an empty nest.

This year also saw me start leading a ladies Bible study at church, go to the leadership conference and retreat, attend the women's retreat as part of the "Chick Band" and act as part of the worship team on occasion. In my spare time I volunteered as an EICS evaluator for the Better Business Bureau. The time commitment was extensive, so I will need to decide if it is something I want to put a lot of time in this coming year. I'm inclined to say no.

I continued to meet weekly with my dear friend Judy Luff for a study and just to learn from her. She has been so wonderful to me. I'm really grateful to have been able to do this.

It has been an good year, but stressful. Through it all, the Lord has been faithful, always providing for our needs, and sometimes our wants as well.

I am really blessed to have three great kids. I'm so proud of them. My main desire for their future is that they grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. That they would know him and make Him first in their lives is my heart's desire and my prayer.

My goals for the future include joining a fitness club with my friend Paula, so that I can get in the excersize recommended by my doctor, that I would be more disciplined about bed time, so that I can get up early enough to accomplish things during the day. Another goal is to study the Word more and more, to know the heart of my Heavenly Father and to know how to live. I want to grow more in listening to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and to say "yes" right away even when he asks me to do something the sounds foolish. I want to be his hands, his feet and his voice. I long to be a better person the older I get--more like Christ with each passing day and less like me!

I am really excited about the opportunity this coming year to work with my friend Kelly in Real Estate. I am signing on with McGinnis GMAC Real Estate and am eager to get to work, helping people find or sell not just a house, but a home. This will take a lot of time, as I still need to help Steve run the business. I am really happy to be working from home, but Real Estate will allow me to get out among people more, something I need to do if I'm not going to become really strange. I have been wanting to do real estate for years, and now it seems like the timing is right. Pray that I will do well and be disciplined about this, as we will be working as a team, and I truly want the best for Kelly (and for me).

Once again, I find myself with a winter voice problem, though I have just about concluded that the cause is different this year. A recent course of antibiotics did a number on my stomache, and I believe that the acid backup has done some damage to my vocal chords. Whether this can be reversed, I don't know. I plan to see my doctor during January for a licensed medical opinion. I would be so sad if I couldn't sing anymore. I don't know what I would do!

I am excited about all the friends and family I have been able to see this year, either by travelling to them or being blessed by them coming through Colorado Springs. We were able to see our friends the Sipes three times this year. (Steve was only able to come twice.) I was thrilled to see my friend Sarah, my friend Jana, my parents and my Aunt Barb and Uncle Rich, along with my cousins, their spouses and all their kids. I missed seeing William though. Bummer. Uncle Andy and Aunt Jeanette dropped by with one of their grandsons while we were visiting Barb and Rich. It was great to see them.

This coming year we plan to go to my brother's for a Carlson family reunion. I hope everyone can come. It has been a very long time since our clan was together.

I am hoping to travel abroad somewhere for our twenty-fifth anniversary this year. I forget, isn't 25th a stamp in your passport? ;-) I would love to go back to Italy, but we have always wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand too. Ah well, I would be thrilled to go just about anywhere.

You are welcome to come for a visit anytime. If you're in town give me about 10 minutes to shove any mess in the nearest closet and drop on by! I'm always happy to see people, and will be glad to put on the tea kettle or coffee pot. We may even get the flooring in the living room this year! Drop on by and see the latest paint colors, browse through my library, collect some dog hair on your pants and have a visit. I'm looking forward to it!

Blessings to you throughout 2006!

1 comment:

Beth said...

From head coverings to chick band. My oh my.

As always, please thank Craig for us, and thank YOU for letting him go.

My goals for this year also included fitness so I could get from a 16 down to an exersize 14. Still working on that . . .