Heart Thoughts from Helen

Heart Thoughts on 2009

"I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last!" (Rev. 1:11 KJV)

Once again we have reached the first of a new year...the last of the old.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have angels come to clean up the Christmas clutter? It's not so much fun to pick up as it is to open up. After the gifts and celebration dies down, emotions play about the decorations like our eight grandchildren with their gifts.

God did indeed define 2009 with many emotions, activities and changes. We retired from a wonderful pastorate in McCormick, South Carolina to return to the upstate, where our marriage began almost forty two years ago. Emotions ran rampant as we left dear friends in a dear place after eleven years of ministry.

February 1, my dear friend, Diane Martin, went home to be the Lord. That same day we celebrated and grieved our last Sunday in McCormick. The day was fraught with emotion. God's grace truly is sufficient.

Shortly after our move back to Greer I was hospitalized for nine long days resulting in surgery. I hadn't really recuperated from shoulder surgery in November of 2008 so this unexpected problem caused a much longer recovery time than expected.

"The Lord will go before you!" (Isaiah 53:12). The troops moving at the head of an army are called the VANGUARD. The Lord was my vanguard; the first to see the New Year and to prepare the way for us the remainder of this year.

"The God of Israel will be your rear guard!" (Isaiah 52:12b)

Alpha and Omega. Vanguard and rear guard.

I'm glad to say that the rest of this year has been less eventful than the first. I have fully recovered and am doing well at present.

Since both our son's family's live within six miles of us, we enjoy spending time with them and the grandchildren. We have never lived this close to our whole family before.

My mother who celebrated her ninety-third birthday in April continues to live at National Health Care in Sumter close to my brother, sister and her family. We see her as often as possible. Her mind is still alert even though her body doesn't like to cooperate.

Philippians 1:6 tells us: "He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."

We trust that the Alpha and the Omega continues to perfect in us what He began many years ago.

And this last thing from Amy Carmichael:

"He who begins finishes. He, who leads us on, follows behind to deal in love with our poor attempts. He gathers up the things that we have dropped...our fallen resolutions, our mistakes...He makes His blessed pardon to flow over our sins till they are utterly washed away. And He turns to fight the Enemy, who would pursue after us, to destroy us from behind."

As God defined 2009, I pray He will reign again in 2010.