It was strange to drive by our old home today to find the place so plain and up for sale, while my grandparents' old house was fully decked out for Christmas. 30 years ago, it was the other way around. My grandparents weren't in great health and usually didn't decorate, since they came to our house for the holiday dinners. I remember the Christmas tree glowing with those huge lights in the living room window. I still dream about it every now and then. And then as we got older, I remember my brother outlining the house in lights for quite a spectacular show. Oh, the place was completely pristine and looked great. Immaculate, in fact, but still empty with the "For Sale" sign out front.
Such is the way of life. It moves on. I got another reminder later as we went out to lunch to celebrate Rick passing his certification exam. We went to a nice restaurant near the University of South Carolina campus, and discovered that the students were in finals. At least, that's what the clerk at the store we stopped by after lunch told us. I told him I remembered those Saturday exams when I was a student. In fact, the fall semester my junior year, I remember that I had two Saturday exams, at 9:00 and 2:00. It was so weird being on campus all day on a Saturday (and a non-game day). That would have been 19 years ago, in December 1995.
As we came back across town, we passed both the first office building and the last building I worked in before my 2010 office move. The parking garage I used both times is still there, but the Capital Center has BB&T on it now. The State House grounds still look the same as always, of course. USC campus changed so much that we barely recognized it, but that area of downtown was still much the same. Well, with a few more vacant places, of course.
I think the trip down memory lane today was oddly appropriate as we celebrated Rick passing that certification exam and hopefully coming into better days. There have been plenty of ups and downs in life, but all of these memories of times and seasons passed reminded me that life is a journey, and it's brought us where we're at for a reason. We've made it this far, and have learned so much to move forward with. There's still plenty of journey left ahead of us too, and we can stand and face whatever comes, good or bad, if we decide that we not only can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, but that we WILL do all things, because if the Lord brings us to it, then He'll bring us through it. Today's nostalgia is plenty of proof that He's done just that so far, and it's promised that He will continue to.
As I heard a therapist say on television while I was sick with the flu, you have to make a conscious decision that you will be ok, no matter what. You don't have to always feel it. In fact, you won't, and down times are natural. What matters is making a conscious decision that you have the faith to come through all things, and continuing to make that decision no matter how you feel in the moment. Because feelings are fleeting, but decisions are lasting.
Next entry, I'll commence "the dreaded year end holiday letter," but I think this is a good note to lead up to it. It certainly has been a roller coaster of a year, but we're still standing. Thanks be to God.
That's all today. Take care, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Bye!
Such is the way of life. It moves on. I got another reminder later as we went out to lunch to celebrate Rick passing his certification exam. We went to a nice restaurant near the University of South Carolina campus, and discovered that the students were in finals. At least, that's what the clerk at the store we stopped by after lunch told us. I told him I remembered those Saturday exams when I was a student. In fact, the fall semester my junior year, I remember that I had two Saturday exams, at 9:00 and 2:00. It was so weird being on campus all day on a Saturday (and a non-game day). That would have been 19 years ago, in December 1995.
As we came back across town, we passed both the first office building and the last building I worked in before my 2010 office move. The parking garage I used both times is still there, but the Capital Center has BB&T on it now. The State House grounds still look the same as always, of course. USC campus changed so much that we barely recognized it, but that area of downtown was still much the same. Well, with a few more vacant places, of course.
I think the trip down memory lane today was oddly appropriate as we celebrated Rick passing that certification exam and hopefully coming into better days. There have been plenty of ups and downs in life, but all of these memories of times and seasons passed reminded me that life is a journey, and it's brought us where we're at for a reason. We've made it this far, and have learned so much to move forward with. There's still plenty of journey left ahead of us too, and we can stand and face whatever comes, good or bad, if we decide that we not only can do all things through Christ who strengthens us, but that we WILL do all things, because if the Lord brings us to it, then He'll bring us through it. Today's nostalgia is plenty of proof that He's done just that so far, and it's promised that He will continue to.
As I heard a therapist say on television while I was sick with the flu, you have to make a conscious decision that you will be ok, no matter what. You don't have to always feel it. In fact, you won't, and down times are natural. What matters is making a conscious decision that you have the faith to come through all things, and continuing to make that decision no matter how you feel in the moment. Because feelings are fleeting, but decisions are lasting.
Next entry, I'll commence "the dreaded year end holiday letter," but I think this is a good note to lead up to it. It certainly has been a roller coaster of a year, but we're still standing. Thanks be to God.
That's all today. Take care, and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Bye!
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