Happy New Year

During these first few days of the new year, I have been thinking about the past year and look with eager anticipation to the new year. This past year has been quite the eventful one. 

Last year at this time I was saying goodbye to my second daughter as she boarded a plane to spend the semester in Italy. It was difficult to say goodbye and pray that all would be well. Everything did go well and she grew and matured while over there and I collected a few more gray hairs. 

My oldest daughter's boyfriend asked me for permission to marry my daughter. Another difficult transition for me but one that I am extremely grateful for. By June we were headed to the church for the wedding. They are happily married and expecting my first grandchild in June. Yahoo!

Daughter number three got her drivers license and turned 18 this year. Now I have 3 adult children. Boy I feel old. 

As eventful as all of that was, I was also quite taken by surprise that God chose this year to turn my life around. He chose this year to help me get off the fence, to stop just being a spectator in my faith life. I was spiritually healed in a very powerful way this year and feel that I must now give back to the One who gave this gift to me. I have started the discernment process for the diaconite. We will see where God takes me with this one. In the meantime I will continue to serve Him in whatever little ways I can. 

OK, now I have the last year recapped. Let's talk about the future. I realized a couple of days ago that I was not hungry. I had not been hungry in a very long time. This was evident just by looking at my waist. Upon further reflection, I also realized that I had lost some of my spiritual hunger. I was still saying all of my prayers and devotions but I was not nearly as hungry for the Word as I had been.

So, what I pray for this coming year is to know hunger. I want to feel my stomach growl because I have neglected to feed it. I want to hungrily devour the Word of God. Hunger is a great driving force in the lives of people. People who never hunger often lose ambition and drive, we become complacent. Maybe my lack of spiritual hunger is caused by a complacency of feeling I was already doing all I could. Perhaps it was some pride in myself causing me to think I didn't need more. Thankfully, God allowed me to be humbled last night and I had to turn to him in supplication.

Happy New Year and I pray that you all know hunger this year. Let us return to feasting on the Word of God.