Holidays.. Joy to the World

Crazy Times, people passing away (Julie’s Dad passed away), People having Surgery, People Shooting themselves, but thats just the bad stuff - it seems a lot of this end of year is focusing on the bad, the sharp pains of recent days, but for me I just keep looking for the positive… some things on my positive list, Joys in my little World:

• My Anxiety - Really has mellowed some this year, been able to get out and do a lot more, go to a lot more places, and work through the worst of it, and know when I can push there and when I still have to run away, but the running away isnt as much anymore, definately joyful about that.
• Friends - This year for finding old friends has been awesome, lots of old friends poping up out of the woodwork, and some I have talked to in years past finding me, and hanging out with me - definately some fun stuff to have more folks to hang out with again.
• Business - A fair year of growth, moved into a real office, more clients, big projects, good payouts, new hardware for mobile computing, and a busy 2006 already lining up with $1000 a month pay days for a single client! w00t!
• Health - While I am still heavy, my health in general has improved, not eating horrible all the time but I am also trying to hit the gym a couple times a month, esepcailly during hi-stress times to work off the extra anxious energy, having a membership till 2007 helps too
• Money - My budget this year has really increased, granted not by huge leaps and bounds to making $4000 a month or anything (donations welcome) but it has allowed for me to once again start saving, and putting some away for a house/apartment or possibly a car (at the rate mine is wearing down, might be a car sooner than I care to think) - but God’s been good.
• Away from the PC - Enjoyed a lot of photography moments this year, thus why I really really want to invest in a nice dSLR camera, some nice lenses and filters, just get mildly more professional and as I said previously, maybe do some photo work on the side.

I am sure there is more to that list, a lot of things I can’t put publically for many reasons, but despite deaths, despite sufferings, despite a lot going on, Jesus is still the reason for the season, he’s still in control, and while this may be a time of grimm things, people feeling so lost they have to end it all, the truth of the matter is, life’s errors can be fixed, you may pay for your mistakes here on this ol earth, but none the less, your life can go on.

Try to focus on the true Joys in your life this holiday season, you may have parents who seperated this year, or passed away, or money problems, or school problems - they may seem like unscalable mountains right now, but two verses, two promises which must be shared kind of sum it up - Psalm 28:7 and Romans 8:28 - things happen in life, we may not understand it, but we have to push forward, have as Ginny Owens put it:

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that’s not my own
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I’ll never go alone

And with that I say “Merry Christmas” and have a Happy New Year - I may not be posting between now and then, but time will tell Thanks to Kari for the Christmas card brings my card count to #3 Take care all, don’t OD on the Nogg.