Happy New Year to All

Well the first day of the 2013 is almost in the record books.  I pray that all of you that read this blog have a wonderfully blessed and joy filled 2013.  May it be the best year of your lives thus far.

I look forward to 2013 with a great deal of anticipation as well as a bit of dread.  There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a transformative year in my life.  For one thing I will complete the ELM (Educating Lay Ministry) program in October and then the search for a pulpit will shift into high gear.  I already have lain some of the groundwork towards that end having talked to both the Nebraska American Baptist and the Iowa American Baptist.  It would be wonderful if the opportunity to serve a congregation developed this year and I am hopeful that this is God's will.

The art business continues to suffer both nationally and locally so both Gail and I are working on formulating changes in the gallery as well as working on other business ventures to supplement the gallery.  Hopefully we'll determine in the next few months just what direction all of this will take.  

I have toyed with idea of competing in bodybuilding or physique this year but with all the other things up in the air and in flux, I am afraid trying to focus that much attention, energy, and funds in that area just isn't practical.  So my goal of someday competing will have to wait for another year or more.  That is fine and I'll just focus on training hard and trying to build more muscle mass.

This year Gail and I will officially become empty-nesters as Maddie will be going off to college this fall.  Her goal is to get into UNL and study psychology.  Creath will be graduating from USF this spring and he's still trying to decide between going on for his doctorate in Philosophy or following his dream of getting into a band and working in the recording industry.  It's a difficult decision for him and as much as we'd like to give him advice we're trying to support him which ever way he decides to go.

So it's going to be a year of change and like most folks I'm not always comfortable with change.  But with God's help and considerable prayer we'll get through it and it will all ultimately be for the best and for His glory.

In Christ,
Roy