January will soon be over. Have you already faced failure, fallen short, fought back tears or let them flow? I can answer yes to all of these.

A few days leading up to January 1st, we were, as I have previously posted, on our annual ski trip in CO. We were skiing, the boys were snowboarding and I had lots of fun taping my Ski Tips for Living.

It was all great – until my husband, One Fine Man, had a traumatic accident on New Year’s Day.
The day before the accident, I had called my mother on my cell phone from the top of the mountain. Enjoying its significance, I remember telling her, “I just wanted to call you from the top of the mountain.” I related to her how beautiful the day was…blue skies…sunshine…fresh powder…and what fun we were having!

I also told her it was my last day to ski but One Fine Man and the boys had one more day to go. She asked me what I would do and if would I be bored. Me? Bored? Hardly ever! With a couple of books to finish reading, some research to do for the literature class I teach and my plans to set some goals, challenges and scheduling for 2009, I had plenty to do. In fact, with the alone time to pray, think and plan I would be in heaven with this time of preparation.

What a difference a day makes! I won’t repeat what I have already posted about concerning the accident. (It is in the first five posts of January if you care to read about it).

Platitudes? Now pleading prayers.
Planning? Flight changes, calls to make, rental car return, school starting…
Resolutions? Do what has to be done now; then do the next thing.
Change? YES!
Challenges? Continue.
Tears? Some held back. Some hidden. Some flowed silently until a stranger pressed tissues into my hand.

And I’ve been disappointed but mainly in my own shortcomings – impatience heading the list.
Yet, with all of my thoughts of planning and preparation for the New Year, it was God who had done the planning. He had prepared my heart weeks before our trip.

A day after the accident, I was standing in the hospital room and a memory flooded my mind. I was back in my bedroom, a few weeks before our trip, putting away clothes and God spoke to my heart. I remember the deep emotion that came with such a personal and humbling word that God spoke to me. What He spoke is so personal that I…