2010: Great Expectations

As the end of a year approaches, I find myself and others reflecting on the current year and making plans and goals for the year to come. Sometimes dreams and visions get pushed aside throughout the year, but as a new year begins those dreams and visions sparkle and shine. Again hearts are captured and desires are stirred up, giving hope that something better will come for that new year.

It's New Years Eve and the commercials on TV encourage me to think about this past year and to make new goals for the new year. I am pleased with the things that I have done in 2009 and I look forward to 2010 with great expectations.

Last year was filled with lots of love and being patient for the next step in missions in my life.

As 2010 begins (tomorrow), I have great expectations for things in my life to unfold. It is hard for me to explain why I feel this way, and why I believe that things are going to unfold. The best way I can explain it is a feeling of anticipation in my spirit and I am standing on the promises God’s given me. I am really excited to see how God orchestrates His plans for my life throughout the year.

Thanksgiving at the Care Center

Thinking back on last year - I spent a couple hours helping out at a local homeless shelter and it felt so good to help people out on a day that I typically like to spend with my family. This year I am in Colorado and decided not to go home for Thanksgiving. In our school we have been doing weekly local outreaches. Myself and a few other of my classmates have been going to The Care Center almost every Monday night. (The Care Center is set up like a nursing home but the residents are mostly people with physical or mental handicaps.)We have seen the anticipation on the residents faces when we get there, and can see the sadness in their eyes when we have to leave. One lady that I have grown close to is Patty (in the pictures). She is very nice and just lights up when she sees us. I look forward to seeing her every week and just hanging out with her.

It felt so great to take a couple hours out of my Thanksgiving day to just hang out with some really cool people who didn't get to see their family this holiday. I think this is a Thanksgiving that I will always cherish.

Words for the New Year

At the end of every year I ask God what He is asking of me for the upcoming new year. And every year I ask, I get at least 1 word.

The word for 2007 was Sacrifice. He taught me so much about that with little things like giving up social time with friends to work or do fundraisers, to big things like losing friends when they were killed for doing what God called them to do.

The word for 2008 didn't come to me until 3 months into the year and it was Serve. A word I thought would be easy but was everything but easy. However, I did notice my character slowly growing with this action word.

And now as I've asked God to reveal to me something for the year 2009, He's given me Love and Patience. I absolutely love to love, but I have a feeling that the word love is going to have a whole different meaning to me as I patiently press on through this New Year.

I've decided to do something a little different and a little more personal this time. So please watch my 1st video blog to hear a little more about what I am passionate about and also what God's been doing in my life.

Love,
Rebecca Lynne

Christmas 2008 - A Cherished Memory

Playing Apples to Apples at the Rossman Family Christmas

This Christmas is a cherished memory, because the past 2 years I have been away doing missionary training schools with YWAM and also it's is the 1st Christmas I've been content with being single (ever)!

My nieces shouting "PRESENTS!" right before we begin to hand them out.

I cherished the little things and especially the big things. However, I didn't like the frequent weather changes and terrible road conditions that led up to Christmas day.

After the Ice Storm 1 week before Christmas

This Christmas I got everything and more that I was hoping for and the best thing about it was that I was financially able to get everyone in my immediate family the gifts they wanted.

The ornament I got for my dad (not the only gift)

I tried my hardest to cherish every single memory this holiday season because I have no idea where or what I will be doing for the following years to come.

I love sitting by the fire in the fireplace around the Holidays!

Emphasis on Giving

Thanksgiving is NEXT week and Christmas will be fast approaching and then another New Year!

Ahhhh!!!!

My youth pastor gave a message a couple days ago on Thanksgiving, and I was expecting the traditional "be thankful for what you have" type of speech. But as he was speaking God spoke to me something else: what's the last part of the word "Thanksgiving"? ... GIVING! My youth pastor even touched on it.

This year I have spent a lot of time reflecting on my life and being thankful for many things, so this Thanksgiving I am going to do something else ... exercise giving. Sometimes I feel like I give enough physically or emotionally, but who am I to judge how much is enough or how much is too little. With help from the BIG G I can give so much more.

Photo taken from Flickr.com