The New Decade

I'm having trouble believing it is already the second decade in the "new" millennium. I recently read a book that was set in 1906, what did they call those years? The aughts? The ones? It's hard to hang a tag on anything that starts with a twenty and ends with an 0 something....but now we have the glorious tens! I enjoyed the 0's for the most part. Our older two children finished high school and college and both got married during the "0's", one had a baby. I owned a business, closed it, took on five foster kids and ended up adopting three of them. My mother declined slowly in body and mind during these last ten years...as I have I suppose. When I look at all the wonderful pictures we have of our life together I am so thankful for my family. I earnestly asked God as a child for a big family and he certainly granted my request. I have grown to love my husband more during the last ten years and I've become the proud mom to seven kids instead of the original four.
If I've learned anything in the first decade of the 20? it is to trust God. I know he has my best interest in mind and I find that fascinating. It's not an easy thing, giving up control of your life but it is rewarding beyond belief. I don't worry about what I'm going to do every day. I just put my feet on the floor and God directs my path. Sometimes I wander off in my own direction and I get a poke from the shepherd's staff. I can control very little even if I want to, so why not stay surrendered to the one who knows the last breath I'll take on this earth. I have to remind myself when my boys are out late at night that worry won't keep them safe, God's hand will. But even they have their own lives to work out with their heavenly father. I look forward to seeing what that will look like. I can't add anything to my life by holding on to it with worry. I have to constantly remind myself to just pray for my kids...all of them. This way I am telling the Lord once again that I trust him with my most precious blessings. He actually loves them more than I do, that's a happy thought.
Our pastor gave a message the other week about worry vs faith...he said that faith is the opposite of fear. I love that! I want to live without fear, don't you?
We gave our little fearless child Faith for her middle name because to me SHE is the opposite of fear. She never backs down from anything no matter how big or scary. I know God is going to do something miraculous with her. Maybe another Annie Armstrong or Lottie Moon. She loves people and has a servant's heart.
I am ready for the new decade. I have loved the old one to death...not every minute of it but most of it. I stand at the door of the 20-something's and smile knowing that the one I trust with my whole life is already there.