The BEST Year! 2010

Some people eat black-eyed peas and cornbread for good luck on January 1, but I plan on doing something FAR more productive. I'm going to pray and thank God for the gift of allowing me to receive my son Reuben back from his 3.5 years in the United States Army. WHAT a better way to start off an amazing year? God is GREAT.

When I heard Reuben was going to be coming home for Christmas I was really excited. I thought to myself "Oh, the perfect Christmas miracle story ever!" My son would be coming home on Faith's 7th birthday, and she would be so unaware until she saw him and then go crazy in the baggage department at the airport when she realized it was him. Oh, it was going to truly be the moment of a lifetime...but the Army changed their minds. They recalculated my son's departure date and set it back to January 1,2010. Of course I felt deflated at the news - - but then I realized that if he was coming home on the VERY first day of the new year then the new year must be so much better than the closing of this past year!

OK, it's all in how you look at life, right? Take a lemon and turn it into lemonade as they say - - just decide to see the bright side, decide to see the light! My son is coming home on the first day of a year that is destined to be so very amazing. My book is going to be picked up by a publisher. Anthony Tortoriello and I are going to do a children's book! My daughters will be employed full time. My son will attend college and play ball. The Faith Train is pulling out of more and more stations! Cher Marketing is going to sell lots and lots of Faith-inspired gear and we can help animal shelters like C.A.R.E. and the Michigan rescue groups that Norma backs. My daughters will enroll in college and probably NOT play ball - - which is a good thing really. I'll be moving to Chicago to write! I'll be carless and kidless and have only one dog (Faith). I'm going to meet friends in person who I've only been acquainted with online. I'll be working with people who I both admire and love...this is going to be a banner year. THANK YOU Jesus for holding Reuben's arrival. WOW - - who would have thought?

So, this having been a great and educational year, I am looking forward to the new one with the surprises, the gifts, the laughs, the soldiers, the work, the books, the move, the kids, the man....EVERYTHING. I may even get a new turtle this summer for keeps...you just never know what a girl has planned for a great and new start from a great and new year.

Viva La Life! Choose wisely!