Wishing you a year of Fruitful Labor in the Flesh.

What a year. I tried repeatedly to start this blogpost but when the words wanted to come the brain shut down, and when the brain wanted to work the words refused to come. So I'm going to just let the sparking brain spark and the tired body stay tired. Sound like a plan?

[Amazingly as I went to add a few bulletin points they evolved into this]



In a year I went from out of the house to house bound. I went from having good brain ability to having my abilities severely curtailed. I traveled to MO twice to see a Lyme specialist. I've swallowed thousands of pills(No joke, on a 'good' day I'm swallowing 26). Tried four(?) antibiotics without much to show for it, but may be starting to see some upturn. Had to stop going to church for the last several months, can't wait until I can start that back up again.

My personal relationship with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit has been rocky at times, and sweet at others. I've gotten into the word more this year by listening, than any of time in my life. I've matured as a man and I'd like to think I also grew fractionally as a child in appreciating the mystique of life. Grew in understanding of theology and grew in the knowledge that I don't understand so much.

I got glasses after almost eighteen years without. I've been blessed by free books from authors and generous friends. I also purchased of a used Kindle Keyboard which has been excellent as my eyes give me fits.  I read over 50,000 pages of recommendable fiction this year, alone. I don't even wanna think about how many words that is!*

I had the sad moment of having several friends and their family move to Africa but the blessing of seeing them before hand. I learned how to solve a Rubik's cube and got my time down to around a minute. Officially quit my first "real" job due to health at an air museum in March. Pined away from lack of being able to write or edit for the last six months; can't wait until I have that back. Had a childhood friend grow up and get married.


Been able to perform in semi-professional consulting roles with gracious authors in both story and marketing functions. Also been blessed by the writing of others especially Randy Alcorn(Heaven), G.K Chesterton(Orthodoxy), and Tim Challies(The Next Story: Life and Faith after the Digital Explosion)

with their non-fiction works.

This last year has brought immensely tough situations, at times, and I won't be sad to see it go. But through the circumstances we've come up with some uproariously unusual solutions and stop gaps. My family walks the road with me and I'm blessed to walk theirs with them. They are inexorably pushing me towards what is good, true, pure, excellent, and of good repute. Thank you dear family.



Unlike those hardy few I'm unable to look to the next year and say qualitatively that I will indeed feel better, that life will indeed turn up, that my season in the valley will indeed end as all seasons do leaving me with shaded yet sweet memories of looking up at the heights from the valley. And yet, another year comes and another year passes by and it's not with few parallels that this statement of Paul seems to fitting.

If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³ I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. ²⁴ But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. ²⁵ Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,


And thanks to anyone who is still slogging along checking this blog every so often. Health fights any posting(headache, eye-ache, and a wacked out temperature gauge now) and only recently have I been able to get any sort of semblance of regular posting in. My thanks to you oh' brave reader! :)


From the heart and wishing you a year of fruitful labor in the flesh.,
Millard



*Actually, if you know me well you know I'm a #s guy. So I do have an idea on how many words that is.

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