Saturday, January 2, 2010

Celebrating the New Year




















God reminded me of this verse from Isaiah 43 this past week.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze."

Jack and I celebrated our 32nd New Year's Eve together this past Thursday night at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine. Our trip was sort of planned at the last minute but I can truthfully say it was probably the most memorable New Year's eve celebration we have ever experienced in all our years of marriage.

I don't even remember what we did last year on New Year's eve but I know we were living in Groves due to the hurricane and were trying to get ready to start working on rebuilding our house. Two weeks later our house in Bridge City caught fire in the midde of the night.

This year we had a wonderful Thanksgiving with all our children at home with us and then celebrated Christmas together on the day after Christmas. Both days were very relaxed and enjoyable in stark contrast to the holidays of 2008. Although we had family with us last year on both holidays, it seemed that the stress of our situation weighed heavily on us both. So here we are one year later and celebrating a brand new year, 2010.

As I said, the trip to the Gaylord Resort was sort of decided at the last minute, but the journey as well as the time we spent there was very special indeed. The hotel / resort itself is amazing because of its tremendous size. There are several restaurants inside and people everywhere. It was still decorated for Christmas so the atmosphere was extremely festive. The first night we ate at the Riverwalk Cafe with my brother and sister-in-law and their grandaughter. They had an all-you-can-eat buffet with shrimp cocktail, crabmeat, prime rib and bread pudding. The meal was fabulous!

The second night we had purchased tickets for to the New Year's eve gala in the Texas Ballroom at the Convention Center. It was probably attended by about 500 people and was possibly the most prestigious New Year's eve party in town. The food was out of this world and the band, The Time Machine, played great music from the 70's and 80's as well as the most current favorites on the hip hop scene.

One of the things that most impressed me was the attendant in the restroom handing out towels to dry your hands. The restroom was also complete with all the amenities including toothpaste, toothbrushes and mouthwash!

We thoroughly enjoyed meeting the people at our table and there was one older couple from Ardmore Oklahoma who were in their 70's who could really dance. They put us all to shame and would return to the table not even looking like they were winded. Then they would hear another song and up and off they would go again. Jack and I spent most of our time just watching the people dance, but there were a few songs that we just could not pass up trying to sway back and forth to. At the stroke of midnight fireworks went off on the stage, there was confetti everywhere and everyone dancing and shouting "Happy New Year!"

My only regret is the fact that it took me 32 years to find out what it is like to dance with my husband (besides in my kitchen)! I enjoyed it so much that I may have to insist that we take a ballroom dancing class together sometime soon.

Jack reminded me today that in a couple of months we will celebrate one year in our new house. How time flies! I know that before we know it another year will have come and gone. But today I am really looking forward to 2010 with a renewed excitement about all that God has in store. And I am claiming the promises of the scripture above. I know that I can face another new year without fear because I have been redeemed, I have been summoned(called), and I am His! He has been there with me through the (flood) waters, and He has walked with me through the fire. No matter what 2010 has in store, I have the assurance that God will be with me through it all.

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