It's Almost Over....

It's hard to believe....but it's true...
The year 2016 is almost over. Two days left...

What are you going to do with your last two days?

We don't have a lot of plans. We have our annual tea party happening tomorrow. It's something I started doing several years ago with my friend Tanya and her girls. We have had different friends join us at different times throughout the years, but the core group has remained the same. I actually didn't think we would be able to do it for different reasons this year, but it worked out for tomorrow.

Saturday we plan on spending together as a family. I think we will be getting out a nice big puzzle to work on while we wait out 2016.

One thing that I look forward to every year is praying the Old Year out and the New Year in. For some reason, this year I feel it's even more important than ever to put this into practice. I don't know about you, but 2016 was crazy for our family. There were times at the first part of the year that I wasn't sure how to handle what was coming our way.

Last year, about this time, the Lord gave me something, a promise: 2016, A Year Of Answered Prayer.

Despite all the crazy, the heartache, tears and trauma....2016 was FULL of answered prayers. I wish I could name them all, but there is honestly no way I can. So I will name just a few, in no particular order:

1. My Parents Moved Back To Oregon- I will be honest. I never thought they would move back. I really didn't. I prayed that somehow, someday, I would live within at least a day's drive of them. God more than answered my prayers....He brought them to within walking distance of us, a mere two miles.
2. Our Foster Son of Two Years Moved- Seems weird to some to say that this is an answer to prayer. However, even when God says, "No.", it's still an answer. From the moment Mr R came  back into our home the summer of 2014, we prayed that God would place him where he was supposed to be, whether that was to be our home or another's. When it came down to it, we knew before DHS told us, that he would be moving. To say that because we knew it was God's Will, doesn't mean it was easy. But it helped! We only wanted God's Will regarding this young man. Oh the peace God sends when we listen and obey Him!
3. We Make The Choice To Obey God's Call and Continue Fostering- It's not always easy to say yes. The blessings are endless when you obey! If we had not said yes when God called, we would have missed out on the opportunity to have two sets twin babies in our home. To become godparents to one set of twins. To have met the different sets of parents and DHS workers that we met. And to have the wonderful bundle of energy in our home that we have now. God is good....so good.
4. Health- So many, many times this year the Lord has healed our bodies this year. I really couldn't name every time. But He has been so faithful!

There are so many more prayers that He answered....I am so thankful that we will have all of eternity to praise Him and share with one another about all the wonderful and miraculous things God has done! We will need all of eternity to share it all!

While I was typing this up, a song came up called "These Are The Days" by Love and the Outcome. The lyrics really struck me, especially the chorus:

These are the days, these are the da-a-ys
The days we'll never get back
These are the days, these are the da-a-ys
And these days are all we have

 It's so true...we will never get 2016 back...we can't change our presidential vote...we can't take back any words we shouldn't have said...we aren't able to undo our actions...

What you CAN do is move forward and live each day.....live it FOR Him.

And if you don't know Him, remember this: He came for you.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

What are you going to do with 2017?

As you go to celebrate the passing of one year and welcoming in the new year, be sure to give thanks to the One who loves you!