A Happy New Year to all!

I had a moment today that I will not soon forget. It was just your average Sunday morning at church, until one of the older women in our congregation collapsed right in the middle of the Lord's Prayer. Talk about a service coming to a halt. She was conscience but very very pale and weak, and the paramedics were called immediately. The whole congragation was silent, and I think all of us were holding our breath as we listened to my dad on the phone with the paramedics. We waited for the paramedics and offered up a prayer to give strength to this woman and her family. Tears weld up in my eyes. We all sat waiting. Pastor distributed communion to us as we sat, waiting. What must people have been thinking? The paramedics arrived and we finished the service with the blessing as they helped her.

We began to slowly go about our business, and I just didn't know what to say or how to react. Then, one of my favorite people, a woman in her 80's named Bernice turned to me, smiled and said, "How was your Christmas?" I smiled back and said, "Good. It was a very good Christmas."

It was a good Christmas, one of the best yet. When we find ourselves lost in all these horrible situations, we have to count our many blessings. And my greatest blessing is having so many wonderful people around me all the time to remind me of everything good in the world, even if it's just a simple moment like the one I shared with Bernice today.

As you go about your New Year Celebrations, keep all those people who remind you of everything good safe in your heart. May your next year be filled with blessings, and if you must face sorrow, face it with the joy and love in your heart.

Happy New Year!