Goodbye 2012!

I started 2012 convinced that the end of the world could really happen.  Not the Mayan version of the end of the world, but my version/perspective of the end of the world.  I know, that's not a very positive thing to write about but it was sort of what was going through my mind last year at this time.

 

I felt like all areas of my life had been thrown under the bus and that I couldn't fix anything.   I kept trying to fix and figure things out and was giving every attempt to try and maintain a positive attitude.  Basically nothing was working out.  I was nearly convinced that 2012 was going to be a terrible year.

What I couldn't see then, but what I can see now, was that it wasn't about everything falling apart; it was about God prying my fingers off of everything I was trying to hold onto so that he could bring new things into my life.

"Where there is no vision, the people perish".......Proverbs 29:17 (KJV)  I had a vision for my future, but it was tiny, out of date, and I had created it as a result of feeling fearful and oppressed. 

"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him."......I Corinthians 2:9  (NIV)  I needed a fresh perspective but did not realize that at the time because I couldn't see anything but what was right in front of my nose!

So, not knowing what else to do, I began to take steps forward in faith and solve my problems, even though I didn't feel quite confident that I had the skills to do so.

And then everything really started to turn upside down.  But I kept praying about everything and persisted. 

And finally, I began to realize what I could solve, and what I couldn't solve. And I began to let go of problems having known I did the best that I could with what skills I did possess and let God do the rest.

And when I let go of everything, then I realized how amazing my life is and how many gifts and amazing people God has dropped in my life and how little my problems are compared to how big my God is and that I could learn new things and see things differently than in the past.

"Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up, do you not perceive it?  I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."........Isaiah 43:18, 19  (NIV)

And with that, peace came back.

And while I was still dealing with a lot of overwhelming stuff, I also began to not feel so overwhelmed, at least not all of the time.

And suddenly 2012 wasn't so bad after all and I realized I still needed to walk in great faith even if it made my knees knock sometimes.  I also realized that I had to move forward if I was to keep growing in my faith.

So forward I went......

(An Ukrainian baseball player with the last name Borsch?  That is hilarious.  I just had to share this with you for some comic relief..........this post features some of my favorite photos from 2012.)

 

In the end, 2012 wasn't so bad after all!  And the best part is, there's a new year coming up right behind this one!

White Christmas

 

It's been snowing off and on the past couple of weeks and I've never seen so much snow in my life.  We are definitely going to have a white Christmas in Ukraine, at least for those of us celebrating Christmas on the 25th.  Ukraine celebrates Christmas according to the Orthodox calendar which means Christmas will be January 7th.  Tomorrow is a regular work and school day and not a holiday.  I thought I would post some photos to celebrate the season......

 

 

 

Coffee with good friends.....it's not about "coffee," it's about the relationship.  As you can see in the above photo, there is not only a relationship with coffee going on, but a process.  Hot water and milk must be added to the espresso for the perfect mix.  This is NOT Starbucks!

 

 Occasionally.....I show up in photos........

 

Occasionally, the sun shines.....yesterday it shined AND it snowed at the same time.  I can't quite figure out how that works!

Wherever you are, I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

"But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid.  I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you:  he is Christ the Lord.".......Luke 2:10,11  (NIV)

Christmas Time At The Day Center!

 

Christmas just isn't Christmas without a party for our Young Family Club at the Day Center.  Grandfather Frost and the Snow maiden showed up to make sure everyone had a good time.

 

 

 

Why do boys this age find this face the most exciting one to make when they get their photo taken?!

 

 

Obligatory photos with Grandfather Frost and the Snow Maiden for every family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

The Big Snow 2012!

This past week Kyiv had a record snowfall.  It barely stopped snowing for about 3 days and it is the most snow recorded here since 1930. 

What I love about winter time in Ukraine is that no amount of snow will ever stop Ukrainians!  They are as unfazed as a native Californian in an earthquake.

I've never seen so much snow in my life so I was getting strange looks for taking pictures of it!

I love this photo!

Dancing Softly - Book Review

While I've met some less than "normal" people via the internet, I have to say that for the most part, being involved with social media has added a lot of amazing and inspiring people to my life that I would have never normally met.  Nikki Rosen definitely belongs in the inspiring group.  Her name began to pop up on my comments page and then I read her blog, we facebooked, and so the social media friendship began to evolve.....

Her first book, In the Eye of Deception: A True Story , Nikki tells her true life story of how she left life in a cult.  Dancing Softly is her second book and is a work of fiction.

In this book, Jamie, a young girl from an abusive family, finds herself living on the streets and eventually gets locked up in a psychiatric ward.  The book vividly and intensely describes her struggles she goes through to "prove" she is not crazy and can live on her own.  The story has a lot of twists and turns but ultimately Jamie has a happy ending. This book is sometimes hard to read because it's so realistic and intense, but it's very believable and inspiring!

If you want to learn more about Nikki, you can check out her facebook page by clicking HERE!

Fun Times

 

 Some fun photos from last week.  I tried to covertly get a photo of them playing but the strangeness of having their photo taken and the excitement of seeing themselves in the digital image on the back of the camera afterwards made them very curious.