Last Day of 2014

2014 was a special year for me. I know every year has been, but this was especially special . . . up until this year, I guess.

I had so many new experiences; I learned so much; and I really grew. So many things changed this year — the place where I call home, the people I call my neighbors and friends, academics, and even myself. I made a countless mistakes, but I had the opportunity to learn and grow for them, too. . .

I have many thoughts, but few words to express them with. All I can say is that these verses have grown wondrously beautiful to me:

“For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:11-13).

Especially the last verse.

Just this week, our family received a present of the music CD Count It All Joy. I have not had time to listen to all of the songs yet, but I want to include “The Father’s Love for Me” here. Older people might find my choice amusing, and it may seem a bit ironical (because I have more than three decades remaining to turn fifty) . . . but I love the words.

“The Father’s Love for Me”

How the years have gone by as a dream
But what are they to Thee, in the light of ETERNITY.
And though the times have changed, You have ALWAYS been the same
As I look back and see, Your faithfulness to me

In Your goodness and Your grace, I have always found Your strength
You have taught my heart to see, Thy wondrous will for me
And in the joys and tears, in life’s trials with its fears
You have caused my heart to sing, neath the shelter of Your wings

How the years have gone by as a dream
And what are they to me, in the light of Thy Majesty!
And soon Christ comes for me, in Thy presence EVER to be
Then FOREVER will I sing, of Thy wondrous for me
Then FOREVER will I sing! Of my Father’s love for me

— DJP I.F

I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future! And I can rest in peace, because He has proved Himself faithful. . . Come, Lord Jesus!

Last day of 2014

2014 was a special year for me. I know every year has been, but this was especially special . . . up until this year, I guess.

I had so many new experiences; I learned so much; and I really grew. So many things changed this year — the place where I call home, the people I call my neighbors and friends, academics, and even myself. I made a countless mistakes, but I had the opportunity to learn and grow for them, too. . .

I have many thoughts, but few words to express them with. All I can say is that these verses have grown wondrously beautiful to me:

“For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:11-13).

Especially the last verse.

Just this week, our family received a present of the music CD Count It All Joy. I have not had time to listen to all of the songs yet, but I want to include “The Father’s Love for Me” here. Older people might find my choice amusing, and it may seem a bit ironical (because I have more than three decades remaining to turn fifty) . . . but I love the words.

“The Father’s Love for Me”

How the years have gone by as a dream
But what are they to Thee, in the light of ETERNITY.
And though the times have changed, You have ALWAYS been the same
As I look back and see, Your faithfulness to me

In Your goodness and Your grace, I have always found Your strength
You have taught my heart to see, Thy wondrous will for me
And in the joys and tears, in life’s trials with its fears
You have caused my heart to sing, neath the shelter of Your wings

How the years have gone by as a dream
And what are they to me, in the light of Thy Majesty!
And soon Christ comes for me, in Thy presence EVER to be
Then FOREVER will I sing, of Thy wondrous for me
Then FOREVER will I sing! Of my Father’s love for me

— DJP I.F

I don’t know what the future holds, but I know Who holds the future! And I can rest in peace, because He has proved Himself faithful. . . Come, Lord Jesus!

Looking back on 12.13.14

I relished those delightful dates ever since I learned about them, one sunny homeschooling day with Saxon Math. But they are gone for the next century now. . .When I was younger, the years seemed to pass so slowly, and my birthdays were so far apart! But now, I wonder where the time went . . .

And, I  think we all tend to look back at the end of the year, at least, I do.

On January, I joined CollegePlus! It was all so new, scary, and confusing. I went through so much during the first 6 months — planning out my degree, scheduling tests to fit into my family’s schedule, testing out of Sociology and Psychology, whipping through four math courses in approximately four weeks of study, taking my first Straighterline courses, and on and on! It wasn’t easy, but I learned much from the new challenges I had to face.

After 6 months, I decided I had gotten the “hang of it.” I scheduled a hold for six months, and said goodbye to my coach. It was exciting! I was going to talk to her in January 2015. I was going to have 30 more credits by then (almost a Junior). Or so I thought — because we had planned it all out. What was God going to teach me? I started a new diary, too.

Immediately, I got stuck on Human Resource Management. I couldn’t test because of my family schedule. What should I do? I decided to leave it, took some Straighterline courses and bam! I became a Sophomore. I now understand why Sophomores are so-called. When I was a Freshman, I knew nothing. I had no experience. I was confused when people talked about “CbEs” and “PLAs.” Now, 30 credits later, I knew. But still, I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. That’s why I was a Sophomore, a “wise fool.”

Thus, I went along the journey. And there were obstacles. My siblings got ill. We had days of traveling (that turned into weeks). I just couldn’t concentrate sometimes. And unexpected things happened: because of the time scheduling, I could not take a CP course as planned; I got a notification that I had gotten a “coach transfer”; one week, we had almost 20 guests at our house (try not to imagine the mess). Then there were special programs to spur me on my way: Summer Bible Training, Ladies’ Annual Meeting, Baptism Programs, Missions Conference, and Winter Bible Training.

Now I’m nearly at the end. One month later, I will meet my new coach. I will have to tell her what I’ve accomplished during my coaching hold. It’s scary. It’s exciting, too.

So, I looked back over my diary, trying get an overall-view of the past six months. As I look back, I see where I’ve been victorious, where I’ve failed, and where I could’ve done better by trusting more, obeying more, walking closer with my Savior, being more productive. Yet, I know, through it all, whatever happened, HE WAS MY GUIDE. I couldn’t have done it without Him and His gentle guidance. I didn’t have a coach to check on me and look over my shoulder, but He was a Guide all the time. I am so glad.

When I was finishing up high school, I used to worry what I would do after 12th grade. Graduation seemed to me a dreaded doom, an unwelcome door of uncertainty that was soon to be opened for me. God’s Word had comforted me, and it still does. Psalm 48:14 is one of my favorite verses:

“For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” (Ps 48:14).