Goodbye 2008 Hello Life

Well, it's New Year's Eve. Here I sit. This will be another milestone for me. My first New Year's Eve without kids. They're all off at Robert's church having a lock-in with the youth group. I'm okay with it, mostly. :) It just feels strange somehow without my noisy, boisterous kids. Rob & I will enjoy the evening and reminisce together, play a game, watch a movie, eat some take-out Chinese. It will be a good night. And it will be good practice for the time that's coming down the road when they will really be gone and on their own. Little bits of me are starting ("starting " mind you) to be ready for that time, but mostly I'm so not ready for that moment, but I'm working on it. :)

And for tonight, I'm so thankful, so very, very thankful for a wonderful year and all that God has blessed me with.

Thanks God for 2008 and all it has brought, both good and bad, hard and easy, the ups and the downs, for all I've learned to appreciate, learned to deal with, learned to do, for these 365 days of life to live, love, and be here. I think (I hope) I'm a better person today than I was a year ago, and if You allow me another 365 days of life, I hope I'll be an even better person a year from now- one that is so much more like You than this girl sitting here tonight. I'm grateful for it all. This year was a gift from You to be alive, to have family, to experience many "mom 1st's," to need You and have to rely on You more. I'm not making any resolutions Father. You already know my heart, better than I even know myself. Please just help me to do what I need to do and let me live the days ahead in a better way, in a way that shows so much more of You and so much less of me. Help me to be like You.

Thank You God. Goodbye 2008. Hello life.

Rebekah :)

a great book to read

God Grew Tired Of Us: A Memoir by John Bul Dau

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book is one of the best books I've ever read. Two summers ago, in summer school, there were a couple students who had come to the US from Sudan. One of these youngsters was having a very hard time from all she had seen and adjusting to this new home and culture. I had previously heard of the Lost Boys, but never really heard much. I started researching a little and reading about this part of the world. I rented the movie documentary of the same title, but reading John's story was even more inspiring and thought provoking.



I am beginning to have a better understanding about this part of the world, the conflict that has been going on there and continues now in the Darfur region of Sudan, and an even better apprecation of this land I call home.



John ends his book with his viewpoint about the US- its good & its bad, and his book encourages me to keep reaching out and helping others- helping families, and to never give up hope. Most of all it helps me to remember and appreciate the many blessings of being born in a country such as ours.