January 1, 2026

Welcome to the New Year. 2026 Wow! I can't believe another year is here.  2025 was a blur. It was a very interesting year. 

I think I start every New Year post like this:

Lord, give me a quiet heart

That does not ask to understand,

But confident steps forward in

The darkness guided by Thy hand.

Keep a Quiet Heart, Pg 12.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

As I turn the calendar to a new month and a new year, It reminds me that 365 days are an good time to see how many things happened that changed my life. There are many. Our son got married in March and now we have a lovely daughter in love. We got a new grand daughter in April. I think its 8 girls now and 7 boys. Three grandsons graduated high school and all three are 18 soon to be 19. 

As I said, I have learned many lessons and none of them have been easy but very soul searching. Our middle daughter got sick and doctors never could figure out what was wrong with her. She is good now. But I learned that when life is darkest, find for one day, that one small victory that I can thank God for. The day she was able to keep two teaspoons of yogurt down, was one of those victories. Lots of small steps.

October 31 our son in law was rushed to the hospital and was in ICU for three weeks and then he was in rehab. Thankfully he is home and is on the mend. We made a rush trip to Arizona. We had a surprise visit with grands and celebrated our grandson's birthday. So lots of things we were thankful for in the midst of one of the hardest trials I had to watch our oldest daughter walk through. And like everything, I am so thankful for the woman she is. 

So what I have learned this year, I can walk through fires and not be burned. I can go through floods and not drown. I can even laugh when I can't see the sun. I can rejoice everyday because God is in control and I am not. I think the hardest thing of all and I still can't figure it out, but people being so nice to me just reduced me to tears. I had so many people just reach out and say something so nice and kind when I was at a breaking point and that was the hardest thing for me. No clue why. I suppose its pride and having to admit, I know nothing really about life. I just keep learning.

So going into 2026 I feel battered and broken. But what I am so thankful for is that I have a brand new year and a brand new month. I get to start over with 365 days that I get to see what God will do this year. Normally, I am afraid. But this year, has been so different.  I have decided in 2026  I am going to just "do it scared." 

Happy January and Happy New Year!

~Kim~