Welcome 2009!

With a toast of the ol grape juice we welcomed in the new year with dear friends the Lindners. Chris and Sonja on the left and Chris's parents Arnold and Virginia on the right. Although we brought games to play we ended up spending the whole evening reminiscing about what's happened in our lives since back in the days when we first met before Chris and Sonja were married. Having Christian friends like these has been one of the many riches of our lives. When I went to prayer this morning I became keenly aware of the blessing of family and friends. Especially through blogging and Facebook we are able to connect and reconnect with those who God has brought us in contact with over 63 years. Who yet lies ahead who we have yet not met...... What lies ahead.....

One of those friends is Beth Brawley who occasionally shares pearls of wisdom. The following is from her blog, "Grace Every Day...."

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone. - Thomas Merton

May you consider God as part of your life in year 2009.