One week down, 51 to go...

Hello friends, family and other readers of my notes and this blog. I pray that as you read this, you are experiencing good health, the love of friends and family, and basking in the security and knowledge of God's love for you. We are 7 days into the New Year, the start of the second decade of the 21st century. Wow. Amazing when you think about it. Do you remember where you were 10 years ago when everyone was predicting that Y2K would be the end of the world, the death of all of us? And yet, here we are - ten years later - still standing strong. What a blessing.

My first seven days of the New Year have been pretty eventful. I have already taken my first trip of the year - traveling from Atlanta GA to Palatka FL in order to visit my 90 year old grandmother who is recovering from hip surgery. God granted safe travels to and from - approx. 700 miles or so, roundtrip. Ain't He good? While in Florida, I had the opportunity to have a face-to-face meeting with one of my Facebook friends whom I'd never met before - only to find out in conversation that our families have long-standing ties and that his mother and my mother know each other! Talk about a small world! The six degrees of separation are quickly shrinking to just three and four degrees. (Does that mean that my meetings with Shemar Moore or Michelle Obama are just around the corner? Maybe.)

In the first seven days of the year, I have already found out that this year, God is going to use me as His conduit of love, kindness and compassion. (Hope I'm up to the call!) Already I have been called upon to listen as a friend mourned the end of a 21 year marriage; to offer sympathy and words of kindness to a friend who lost her father to diabetic complications; to offer words of wisdom to a young lady in a relationship that she KNOWS she needs to get out of and yet, feels she cannot move from; and been placed in a position of referring others to professionals who can help in situations that I am not equipped or skilled enough to assist. It has been a busy year y'all - and we are only seven days in.

So how do I handle the "pressure"? "I go to the Rock of my salvation, I go to the stone that builders rejected...when the earth all around me is sinking sand, on Christ the Solid Rock I stand, when I need shelter, when I need a Friend, I go to the Rock" (are you singing yet?) I ain't (by NO MEANS!) trying to say that in these seven days I haven't faltered, sinned, cussed, shouted, screamed, holla-ed - yeah, I've done all that (and more), but I will say that - even with all of that, I have found myself more in a state of prayer than I have been in a long time. And THAT is a good thing.

I hope and pray that you are starting your New Year off in a state of prayer. That is the only thing that is gonna get us through the days ahead. All of the days ahead of us are NOT going to be sunny ones. Some of them will be stormy and overcast with no forecast of sunshine anywhere. Some of the days ahead will be so bumpy, you will wish your bottom had shock absorbers. But if we just hold on and go to the SOURCE of our strength, power and might...we will make it through. We will survive. Get to know Him - it will make a difference, I promise.

For those of you reading this on Facebook, I encourage you to join the group READ THE BIBLE THROUGH IN 2010. Administered by John Parker, this group has already been a blessing untold. Even if you don't want to read the Bible with us, join just for the daily thoughts, comments and other inspirational information you can find there. You will be blessed, I promise.

We have 51 amazing weeks ahead of us. Let us determine now to use them to their fullest. As the saying goes, prepare for the future, but live each day as if it were your last.

God bless!