2013 is only 49 days old, yet I feel like I’ve been tested over and over.

First my heart breaks, I had to say goodbye to a friend.

Then my thumb got busted.

Then my other thumb got busted too in a hot glue-gun accident.

Then a Ganglion cyst.

Then yesterday, my laptop fell and the screen was shattered. It fell on the jump drive sticking out of it and that broke too.

SERIOUSLY?!

I started throwing the pity party I so sorely wanted. I mean what the EFF right?! Tears evermore for all the information on both devices that I wasn’t sure could be recovered. And for all the things that seemed to be going wrong. It’s like every time I got my head above water…some undercurrent of negativity tried to pull me under.

This year has been a completely unpredictable series of twists and sometimes unfortunate turns of fate. And I will not allow myself a moment more of self-pity. I am grateful for the “new opportunities” all these twists and turns have brought into my life. I will see things as they really are and I will let go of the expectation that things are always supposed to go a certain way. I will be honest with myself always.

The world did not end when I my laptop fell. So I will suck it up and be open to new circumstances when things don’t go the way I expect.

Negativity will not win.

I will not be discouraged. I will not give in to despair. I will learn the lessons and I will move forward always.

Thumbs heal. Laptop screens can be replaced – at a cost, but it can be replaced. I was able to recover all the information except one file (which I can live without) on my jump drive. Ganglion cysts can be busted. I will continue to love and my heart will be healed.

I CAN do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me!

I will continue to write.

I will continue to LOVE.

…and I will back-up all my information on a couple extra jump drives for safe-keeping.