Every year, the past comes back to haunt me.
This week between Christmas and New Year is my traditional reflection week. Reflection is good for the soul and helps protect the future. Reflection is good for you.
Spending time with my goals and my accomplishments is more often a disappointment than an triumph, but I do it anyway. I’m trying to make the coming year “better” than this past one has been.
The great news is that this past year has been a pretty good one, all considered. Progress has been made.
Sandi and I celebrated 47 years of marriage. Under the circumstances, it’s a miracle it lasted through that first year. But, because we both committed ourselves to the vows and the marriage, we made it work out. We’ve had the good and the bad, sickness, poverty, trials and tribulation. But we managed to work through those challenges as a one-flesh team.
We got to spend 2 months with our oldest son and his family. His two little ones have grown up mostly out of range of both sets of grandparents. It was a blessing to spend such quality time with them all. Those kids are So CUTE!
In the process of those two months, we got to live some more in our motorhome. You know, that box on the road we throw money into? After another 6,000 miles, we decided to pimp the ride with tires, brakes, and steering improvements. What a noticeable difference.
We plan another couple months away come February.
Financially, our Amazon business has taken off and enabled us to get out of the house. We don’t ship much any more, letting Amazon do all that work in exchange for a smaller check to us. But, we’re profitable, and free to travel as we choose.
After a couple of years rasslin with the Veteran’s Administration, I’m finally getting compensation for PTSD that has dogged me since Viet Nam in 1968. My symptoms haven’t been severe for several years, but boy oh boy, for 18-20 years… I’m good now.
We’ve been healthy. Although we’re both suffering the aches and pains of older age, there’s not much else to report.
Spiritually, I’m still wandering in the desert. I’m not humble enough to accept a lesser role in my church. After 25 years in leadership, it isn’t easy being just another member. I still study and pray and give. I just don’t enjoy much fellowship. Perhaps the coming year will bring change.
That is the goal of this reflection: to make change. If I keep on doing what I’ve always done, I’ll keep on having what I’ve already got. If I don’t make changes, nothing changes.
Do you reflect? Do you make changes?
