Colleen James

Tag: 2023

  • Farewell to 2023

    Pictures above: birthday cupcakes for Liam’s class (with mustaches, of course), bridal shower decor, baby shower cake, CJ’s little feet, and my dress for the wedding

    It has been bittersweet to bid 2023 farewell. Personally, it was such a good year. It wasn’t without its challenges and hardships, but the good outweighed the bad by far.

    The first half of the year was full of celebrations. Liam had his first birthday party with friends his age early in the year, then I hosted a bridal shower for my younger sister alongside my older sister and mother the following month in Fort Worth.

    The month after that, some dear friends threw me a baby shower, and exactly a week later, our baby boy decided to surprise us by making his debut, over two weeks before his due date! Although life slowed down a little bit after CJ’s birth, we still took a couple of trips to San Antonio to get Liam’s suit tailored for his role as ringbearer in my sister’s upcoming wedding, and I fretted over yet somehow managed to write a toast for my role as matron of honor.

    Seven weeks after CJ was born, we traveled back to Fort Worth as a family of four and had a fabulous albeit tiring weekend celebrating my sister and her groom as they tied the knot. The biggest events were now behind us, and I was relieved that each one went so smoothly.

    Since then, we have taken a trip to a nearby beach as a family, Liam started school, and we have visited JJ’s family out of town. This last year, Liam also initiated many spiritual conversations with me and prayed with me to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. And although I am unsure that he fully understands the gospel yet when I have later talked to him about his decision, I am so encouraged by each step toward faith that he is making.

    God’s generosity overflowed into every aspect of an eventful 2023, and I’m so grateful for all of it.

    In light of such a beautiful past year, it has been sad to me to begin a new one. But then I remind myself that His mercies are new every morning, and I think of God’s goodness and how it has preceded me into this year. Surely there will be challenges and hardships this year like there were in 2023, but God will be with me in them. He will teach me things through them and strengthen my faith. And He will continue to be the same generous God, deepening friendships this year, granting me new experiences, delighting me with new songs I’ll hear and special moments with Him and with family and friends. I do not have to fear the uncertainty of this new year because my future is certain in Him, and He will guide me. His love will carry me through. So, here’s to the adventure that God has for each and every one of us this 2024! May we seek to walk with Him closely this year and enjoy everything in this year that He has in store!

    You crown the year with Your goodness, And Your paths drip with abundance.”

    Psalm 65:11 NKJV

  • Puzzle Pieces and Personal Plans

    Picture of my oldest doing a children’s puzzle

    A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

    Proverbs 16:9

    Liam and I worked on a number of puzzles in the spring. He has been given several over the years that are age appropriate for him (3-5 years old), so I have especially enjoyed working on these simple puzzles with him. He has enjoyed them too, although I cannot say that they have necessarily been easy for him.

    In April, as we tried to put each puzzle together, I would often find him trying to pound two pieces together, using his tiny fist as a hammer. In his little mind, he had found two puzzle pieces that were meant to be together, so he would force them together, no matter the effort. Then, when I would point out to him that the pieces were not intended to fit together and tried to take them apart, he would become upset with me and try to keep the puzzle pieces out of my grasp. He had worked hard to put them together, so that is how they would stay!

    I became discreet in taking the puzzle pieces apart over time, and eventually we would create the image that the puzzle was intended to be. It just took lots of time and patience.

    Today, Liam doesn’t struggle as much with his puzzles. He seems to understand the color schemes more and how the pieces work together. He is also starting to grasp the idea of a bigger picture, and he has done these puzzles enough to know what that bigger picture should be. It doesn’t mean he has mastered piecing puzzles together entirely. They are still a bit of a challenge to him. Nonetheless, he is able to hold onto each puzzle piece a little more loosely as he seeks out the perfect fit for each piece.

    Although we don’t work on puzzles too much anymore due to time constraints, the image of Liam pounding puzzle pieces together has come to my mind over the last few months, because I realize with a sense of conviction that I am not much different than Liam was last spring when it comes to doing puzzles.

     I think I have been doing puzzles in my mind for most of my life. I hold different pieces in my hands at different times—puzzle pieces representing my desires, dreams, goals, expectations, etc. The problem is, the puzzle pieces strewn out in front of me, most commonly known as reality, don’t always fit together with the ones I grasp onto ever so tightly in my hands. And because of that, I am left with the desire to try to pound all of them together anyway in a desperate attempt to create what I believe to be the perfect picture of puzzle pieces for my life. But just like Liam has had to learn that there is a specific color scheme and pattern which each puzzle piece is meant to be part of, I sense God asking me to trust that all of my puzzle pieces are meant to be part of a specific color scheme and pattern as well. A God-ordained one. And just like Liam has learned that each properly placed puzzle piece will eventually form a perfect picture, I sense God inviting me to trust that He is intricately and intentionally piecing my puzzle pieces together to form a picture that is far more perfect than I could ever make it out to be—a picture that is even greater than my own story and that will far outlast my lifetime, all for His glory.

    As we enter this new year, I am very aware of all the new puzzle pieces I bring into it with me. I have new goals, new dreams, and things that I eagerly anticipate about this year and that I pray will come to pass. But I am also aware of my need to hold onto each puzzle piece loosely—to hold my hands open in worship to God with each piece surrendered to Him. Because in the long run, I can’t be certain of how each of my puzzle pieces will fit together or if I will even like where each one goes. But I can be certain of this—the end result will be worth it. The final picture will be splendid and glorious and more magnificent than I could ever fathom. And in the end, I’ll be glad that I surrendered each puzzle piece to God and that He chose me to be a part of this beautifully exquisite puzzle in the making.