A New Year Begins
Our youngest son turned 23 this year, a new year's baby, his birthday this year was on 1/1/11 it somehow seems significant though I can't quite say why. :)
We spent Christmas and New Years with him in Hawaii, where he is based, he is in the army and served his time in Iraq. He joined the army because he didn't want to go to college, now he is thinking college sounds like a good idea. :) I'm glad about that.
Was amazing to spend time in Hawaii, I never expected to be there so it was a bit surreal, we really couldn't afford to go but he asked us to come and we realized it may be our only opportunity to go... so we went. :) and I found out that I absolutely enjoy snorkeling more than about anything else. I didn't care if I was tired, cold or even hungry, I just wanted to stay there watching this fabulous and fascinating world. Seeing colorful fish and even a sea turtle resting on the sandy bottom trying to hide in some coral (a kind stranger pointed the turtle out)
Standing on lava flows hardened and cooled yet not too far off still steaming and spouting some devouring homes and other homes left untouched with yards still growing trees and lawns made me think about how you never know what may come and what may not in this life. I wondered about why these people were still living there in the middle of this devastation with still visible activity all around them not nearly far enough away. There were even a couple guys who had built themselves a small cardboard geodesic dome to apparently live in on a spot even closer to some spurting vents that glowed brighter as the day faded. Were they living there because they thought they had no other choice? No other place to go? Or, was it, because they chose to stay where they had been spared from the terrible devastation their many neighbors had not been spared from? To face something like this and say hey we have been spared why would we leave now? Or perhaps they had moved in after all this took place having found some affordable housing? But to choose to live in the face of impending doom day after day would probably make one indifferent to it after a time I suppose. Maybe they just have great faith that God will watch over them. Maybe they just don't care what happens tomorrow. There were certainly many people who came to see this sight that evening and probably draws a crowd every day. Choices, circumstances, and Providence all play a role in our daily lives whether we think about it or not. Made me think about what my circumstances are and how my choices have impacted my life as well as others and also how much God is in control of things I can't be. I realized how grateful I am to leave things in His hands since He can handle it all much better than I could.
And that is a good way to begin and end a year as well as a day, leaving it in His capable hands knowing He loves us more than we can describe. I'm glad to have such a kind Heavenly Father whose wisdom far exceeds mine that I can rest in Him knowing that His plans are to bless us.
