Reflections on 2007

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions, but I have been doing a lot of thinking about 2007 as it prepares to draw to a close and we prepare to start anew in 2008. My initial thought was "I really hope that 2008 is better than 2007 was". After starting out 2007 by being in the hospital with an abdominal infection, the year only seemed to get worse. 2 back surgeries, several more visits to the hospital for my abdominal "issues", and a bout with serious depression rounded out the year. And then in the last 2 weeks we've closed out the year with our baby being in NICU and then readmitted to the hospital for jaundice, the garbage disposal breaking and nearly flooding our kitchen with really nasty water, the door lock on my truck breaking so that we literally could not get 2/3 of the lower ranks into the vehicle (repairs cost $300), and finally the 10 year old dryer finally dying on us (to the tune of $700). After all of this I felt like I was ready to see 2007 out and hope for the best in 2008.
But then I began to think about all of the blessings that have been a part of 2007 - some of which may never have occurred without some of the trials that we've had. I can honestly say that the XO and I have a closer relationship now than we have in our 13 years of marriage. We have another amazingly beautiful addition to our family. We still have a wonderful home with beautiful gardens and just enough room for our family. We have enough money to meet our needs and have a little bit for extras. We both have good jobs and good health now. The list could go on and on.
Yes, life can be VERY challenging sometimes and full of difficult times, but something our Pastor said recently really hit home and made me reevaluate the way I look at things. As Christians we have the security of knowing that this world and this life is the worst that it will ever be for us. As he put it "this world is our hell as Christians". What a blessing to know that as hard as things may be right now, they will never be any worse and we can look forward to spending eternity in the paradise that is Heaven. But how sad that many people do not have that security. As Pastor David put it "this world is heaven for the non-believer". How sad that this world with all of its trials, pain, and difficulty is the best that some people will ever experience.

I wish you all a 2008 filled with as many blessings as we have had in 2007!