Remember

For those of you that know me, or read either of my blogs, you know that 2010 has been a difficult year for me.  I feel as though in every area of my life I have been stripped bare, and then punched in the face... repeatedly.   As this is happening, the Lord has been exposing things in me that I really did not want to know about myself, much less allow other people to see.  Like most people I do not particularly enjoy having all my faults on display.  Unfortunately, this year, I just had to get used to it.

2010 has been a year of failures, grief, anger, impatience, sorrow, trials, confusion, turmoil, and amazingly...sweetness.

The Lord has been showing me that I really do have reasons to thank Him in every circumstance, I can cling to Him when I have no one else to turn to (and even when I do), I can have peace everlasting in the midst of a hurricane, and though life is often bitter, His is always sweet.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am no where near being able to live in this place of contentment and surrender all the time, this is my goal, I am still a loooooong way off.  I've found that I have some sort of spiritual short term memory loss.  The Lord shows me something wonderful (or something I need to work on), I see it, I admire it, I forget it - on with my day, on with my life.

I want to remember...I just...don't.  I want to remember the beautiful things, the hard things, the lessons, and everything in between.  More than that  - I NEED to remember!  If I don't remember I am left unchanged, untrusting, and afraid to leave the comfort of my own self preservation.  (This is not a pretty place to be, but a place I am rather familiar with)

So starting now, I am purposing to remember.  And as I remember - to give thanks.  I also plan to write here more regularly, not just when things are going well, or when the kids do something funny, but also when I am struggling to keep it together, of when the Lord knock my socks off with something in His word.  I want to be able to look back remember (literally) at what the Lord is doing in my life and hopefully be an encouragement to others at the same time.

Now as I take my first tentative steps into this new year I am posting these verses both on my wall at home and here on the blog as a reminder to myself of where I am going and where I've been.  It's time for me to REMEMBER.

• 1 Chronicles 16:11-12 - Seek the LORD and His strength;  Seek His face continually.  Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done, His marvels and the judgements from His mouth,
• Psalm 111:2-4 - Great are the works of the Lord; They are studied by all who delight in them.  Splendid and majestic in His work, And His righteousness endures forever.  He has made His wonders to be remembered.  The Lord is gracious and compassionate.