THE NEW EWE

"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!'"

Luke 15:4-6

January 5, 2022

LIFE IN THE FOLD:

Looking back over 2021, I see how truly blessed Jon and I were.

We have both remained Covid free. Neither of us really got sick, other than a cold or sinus issues. Jon had to have a minor procedure done on his back, to remove a cyst, but that went great and healed quickly. We both had to have a little dental work done, but nothing major. No broken bones. Jon has some ongoing back pain, and did some physical therapy to help with that. But overall, both of us have been healthy and strong! We are grateful!!

We started out 2021 by paying off our mortgage, so began the year debt free. We "thought" that we would be able to put away a lot of money into savings over the year, but that didn't really happen as we had imagined. We had expenses come up throughout the year that prevented that from happening. We had to buy a new refrigerator and zero turn mower. We had to pay some medical expenses that insurance didn't cover for Jon's physical therapy and the cyst removal surgery. Other things seemed to come up, too. But we always had the money to pay for whatever we needed, and for that we are so very thankful.

God has protected and blessed not only us, but also our families. My nephew's 3-year old daughter underwent a very major surgery during the summer, and came through it and healed amazingly well. Another nephew's wife was pregnant when she contracted Covid. They had to do an emergency c-section on July 4^th, then the mama had to immediately go on a ventilator. But God gave her a miraculous healing, and both she and the baby are doing great.

Our hearts are so filled with gratitude for God's favor and hand upon the two of us and our loved ones.

Yet, we know that last year was a tough year for many. My cousin passed away from Covid, which was unexpected and heart-breaking for his family. There were others who experienced deaths in their family. Some went through health crisis. It was a very difficult time for so many individuals and their loved ones; and our hearts go out to those who experienced pain and heartache. Our prayers have been that God would be near to them and His presence would fill their lives and their homes.

As we enter a new year, none of us know what it holds in store for us. We have great expectations of blessings and wonderful things ahead; but we don't know what God's plans are. We don't know if death, sickness, job loss, or other hardships and tragedies will occur throughout the year. But we focus on the good things that we know about.

This coming year, one of my nieces is getting married in April. We are excited for her and rejoice with her.

I believe that God allows us to live one day at a time, because our hearts couldn't take it should He reveal what the future holds in store. Instead of enjoying each day and looking for the blessing, we would be worrying about the hardships and grief that lies ahead, counting down days until they happened. We'd be dreading the bad times, instead of enjoying the good. So our Father gives us one moment at a time, directs our steps one at a time, and desires that we trust Him fully and completely.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

God's plans are never intended to harm us. They are not to destroy us. But His plans are designed to give us hope! His plans promise us a future; both here while we are here on earth, but most importantly, eternally in heaven. He knows the plans that He has for each and every one of us. They were written out before we were ever born. So nothing that happens ever surprises Him. We can always trust Him! We may not always like what happens or understand, but we can rest in knowing that God loves us greatly.

Come the end of 2022, none of us knows how our story is going to read during these next twelve months. Instead of fearing or dreading, let us look forward with expectation and hope! Let's rest in knowing that God knows the plans that He has for us, and whatever they may be, they are designed to give us a hope and a future!

JON'S PERSPECTIVE:

When we have times of difficulty, it can really help to remember times of blessing. Loretta described some of ours. And we'll have that on record for years to come, so we have somewhere to look back on it. I recommend you write down times of blessings, too. Keep a copy somewhere that you can find it later. When tough times come, look back on it, and remember God was with you then in an obvious way. He hasn't left you, even if He isn't as obvious for a while.

ON THE MENEWE:

Crockpot Tomato Basil Soup

Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, until flavors are blended and vegetables are soft.

Allow to cool slightly. Puree batches of soup in a blender, or utilize an immersion blender into the crockpot -- until very smooth.

Serve immediately, or transfer the soup back to the crockpot and keep on low until ready to eat.

If you want to add some heavy whipping cream or sour cream and blend it in, it will created a creamier soup (which I prefer).

Garnish with grated parmesan cheese, if desired.

THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER:

Knowing that I have several preachers in my family, Jon's brother told me this joke several years ago:

It was a cold, snowy Sunday morning and only one old farmer showed up for church. The pastor told him that it looked like no one else was coming, so they would dismiss services for the day and go back home. The farmer replied, "Well preacher, if I only had one cow show up at feeding time I would still give it something to eat. I wouldn't just send it back out to pasture hungry." So the preacher taught a Sunday School lesson, sang several songs, and then preached a full length sermon. When he finally said the final prayer and dismissed, the farmer said, "Pastor, I'd give my one old cow some food to eat, but I wouldn't feed it the whole load!"

THOUGHT TO PONDER:

What lies ahead is unknown to me, but is known to God.

I don't need to have everything figured out, I only need to have Him.

He will lead and guide me and direct my steps. - Debbie Kay

OUR HEARTFELT THANKS TO YOU:

We love you!

Loretta & Jon

http://www.graysheep.org