My opportunity!

I love this picture of David and Hollyn because he took this opportunity to play with them while we waited to leave.

I am making my new years resolutions or goals for the year just like most people do. But as I was praying and reading my bible these last two days, the thought that has been with me for weeks, maybe months came back with a vengeance. That thought is "not to waste a minute of the year".

Not to waste this opportunity. Yes to me, this deployment is an opportunity. It is life altering, life changing, challenging, hard, sad, lonely, frustrating, funny at times, etc. But none the less an opportunity!!

An opportunity for me to grow closer to God. A dear friend who 5 years ago stood where I am standing told me this week that her husband deployment was a year of unbelievable growth in her relationship with the Lord. She learned to pray through and for everything. She learned to lean on Him for everything. I am learning and embracing this opportunity also. I don't want to be the same person I am now at the end of 2010. I want to be better. I want God to change me, mold me, and make me better for Him. I don't want to be where I am spiritually now, I want to be deeper in His word. Deeper in my relationship with Him. I want to know Him better, love Him more, trust Him completely. I don't want people to see me, but to see HIM.

An opportunity for me to grow closer to David. We may not have a lot to time together so we can't waste it on things that do not matter. Our phone calls are short, our texts are shorter but our love is growing deeper each day. It is opportunity for me to say the important things, to speak kinder words, to share more thoughts, to let go of the past and just focus on the here and now. It is an opportunity for me to live in the moment with him. It is an opportunity when we can't talk to go to the Lord and pray more. I am learning and embracing this opportunity a lot lately. But I do pray when he does call that God will give us the words we need to hear and to say to each other.

An opportunity for my children to grow closer to God. This is an opportunity for me to show them God in our daily life. They are watching everything I do and say. And I want God in everything I do and say. I want God to be real for them. This will (hopefully) be one of the hardest things they go through but I want them to come out of this believing God and seeing Him in their daily life. I want them to see God perform miracles in their life. I am praying for their salvation. I want them to know Jesus as their lord and savior soon, I want them to lead a life that is spirit filled. I want them to pray and pray believing!!! So I have to have God real in my life, my life has to be spirit filled. I have to pray and pray believing!

An opportunity for my children and I to grow closer together! This is opportunity for me to talk to them more, play with them more, pray with them more, hug them more and love them more.

An opportunity for me to grow closer to people. I have been blessed with godly friends, some new, some old who have reached out to me. They have encouragement me, inspired me, comforted me, cried with me, laughed with me, prayed with me and for me and just loved me. This is an opportunity for me to give back, to be an encourager, to inspire, to comfort, cry with, laugh with, pray for and to love people.

So to me this year is an opportunity! My opportunity!