Between Christmas And New Years 2017: Another Year Older

As I write this, I am sitting looking out the window at Barkley Lake on the last day of the year. 2017 has been an interesting challenge for our family. Let's see... recovering from my knee surgery in January, a flooded basement in the spring, a retaining wall failure and massive repair and the development of a vitreous detachment and cataract development in both of my eyes. Michael left home for college. Then a break-in and theft of stored items at the property we are trying to get on the market. Illnesses have prevailed for all of us here in December. This year was indeed a bit on the dark side.

The year was not without its positives though. Kat is back in Evansville and established as a veterinarian. Michael got his Eagle Scout and in turn found that it was worth a full ride on tuition at the college he chose to attend. Luke has came out of his shell a bit and is growing into a young man. The twins had an amazing season in Baseball followed by a great All-Star run. My wife took a lot of steps toward a healthier lifestyle (I wish I had her willpower) even while battling health issues of her own.

December always seems hectic to me. Of course I am usually juggling work, Scouting, teaching the last module of a paramedic program, Advent, Christmas... then New Years.

It was 9 degrees when I woke up this morning. Michael and Luke are taking an afternoon nap and the twins are off with some kids a few doors down the street from Annette's aunt's lake house where we are spending New Year's.

It is the last day of the year. Annette is working on some online training from work. It is quiet and very still here. As I went to the store this morning I drove right up beside a deer and it let me take it's picture without darting off. It is really peaceful here.

Tomorrow will be another year. I have made the decision to cut back and only teach one module of the paramedic program. From here on out it will be just Medical I (Respiratory and Cardiology). My plans are to focus more on getting the family further stabilized... get rid of the other house, spend more time at home, work on things that streamline and de-clutter life. I am going to read more. I plan to listen to more music as well. At work, I am launching one of the largest impact projects I have ever designed and it will directly relate to insuring quality and should impact the care of every patient we treat in the field. I also plan to spend more time outdoors. In the next few weeks, I will be learning at the NAEMSP Annual meeting followed in March by the Eagle's group meeting in Texas. I will learn of needed change and do my part in making those changes.

I had hoped to visit Concordia Seminary in St. Louis with my son Luke on his confirmation trip, but a work conflict has jumped in the way of this. Maybe someday I will get to tour there.

Christmas has passed. 2017 was just an insane whirlwind of national agendas, odd public behavior, heroin and K2 epidemics and watching a lot of people show that they really do not understand or desire to know the meaning of the word "responsibility."

A while back I wrote about the thin lines getting thinner... they are still thin, but I do not think they are eroding as quickly as they where back then. Public safety is holding it's own at the moment although everyone would agree we have our moments.

There must be one more focus... a primary focus on my list...

2018 will arrive in a few hours with much or little fanfare depending upon where you are in the world. On January 2, many of us will start the cycle again with an attempt to make it back to the normal routine.

In the church year, Epiphany will be here before we know it and run head long into Lent and Easter. Christ has been born of the Virgin Mary and his course to the cross has begun.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we
have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
-John 1:14-18 ESV

Why does the church year run as it does? Why do we refocus every Late fall through spring on the course of Christ's life? God born as perfect man, never knowing sin, made the perfect, unblemished sacrifice, the lamb, crucified, died and buried, but most of all risen again and seated next to the Father. The gospels tell the course that was laid before Christ, which he flawlessly executed for the sole purpose of taking on the penalty for our sins.

The angels came to proclaim his birth to the shepherds. This was THE baby. The CHRIST. Who would have a kingdom that would know no end. He would be more than the expected king of the Jews. He would be eternal savior of all to whom faith is given.

Much of the world does not see this or even care of it anymore. The secular world has been slowly getting on the postmodernism train to a destination of destruction for well over a century. As Christian's, we are now a voice crying in the wilderness. All we can do is continue that cry and be the vessel used by the Holy Spirit to perform good works.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
- 1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

So in a few hours a ball will drop in New York. People will party. Fireworks will be detonated. Another year will begin. What's important this year? The cross born for me and for you.

Make your focus important.

Crux Christi Nostra Salus. Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum.