Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! And a new year for me it will be. This time last year, I was recovering from rotator cuff surgery, in a joyless, abusive marriage, and worried about the direction my life was going and the lives of my two young adult children. I was worn out, tired of the abuse that was not only physical, but mental and verbal. I knew in my heart, that this was not the life that God intended me to have, some of it the consequences of my own sin. Don't get me wrong, men who abuse do so because they want to, not because anyone "made" them do it. But if I had not had so much pride and so much need, I wouldn't have overlooked all the red flags that were there and believe me they were there.

So I took a deep breath, stepped out on faith. I left my husband April 16 and really haven't looked back. There have been trials, but there has also been joy unspeakable and the peace that passes understanding.

I am working toward happiness. And now that I am free from that stifling, confining, nonsupporting relationship, I find that so many things are falling into place. My walk with God has been strengthened, my work has improved, I am running and accomplishing things in my cycling that I never dreamed was possible. I am losing so much self-doubt. I am starting to understand that life is short, that I must shake off fear (after all God did not give us the spirit of fear) and step out into the unknown.

I have released my children to God. The paths that they have chosen thus far are not the ones that I would have chosen for them, but they are healthy and self supporting. One of these days they will get tired of the $10/hour jobs and living with 50 zillion people, but they are happy, not on drugs, son in school, daughter thinking about going back, both are well liked at their jobs, well hey what more can I ask for at the moment.

God has opened up new doors for me, I've made wonderful friends, I have found a wonderful church home and I can finally say after 25 years of practicing law, I finally found my niche.

So as 2008 begins, I have hope, more hope than I have had in a long time. And that is a good thing!