# For the blessings of the past year
*2008-12-30*

> Bill Young reflects on the transition from 2008 to 2009, honoring the memory of a faithful disciple and offering a prayer of gratitude for the year gone by.

## Reflections on the turn of the century

I just came back from vacation with my family in North Carolina. We visited Asheville and the Biltmore House, a rich estate from the turn of the century built by the Vanderbilts. It was a place of great excess for that time, featuring bowling alleys, indoor swimming pools, beautiful paintings, and lush grounds. It was truly the most beautiful house of that era, and it gave us a glimpse into how some people lived at the turn of the century.

## Remembering Pat Delgado

While on vacation, I received a phone call from my pastor, Father Jeff, with the sad news that a friend and disciple on a witness team, Pat Delgado, had passed away the day before. Pat was a terrific person, a true disciple, and a witness for Christ. She even helped me name this podcast, suggesting 'Prayer N Lunch' instead of 'Prayer and Lunch.' 

Most importantly, she was a witness for Christ. While we feel the loss, the good news is that she is in heaven with the saints. As Father Rick Rundell says in his podcasts regarding near-death experiences, she is 'back home.' We should not be sad for her, but rather realize that it is still our time here and that God has a purpose for each of us.

## Looking toward 2009

As we enter 2009, we should seek a deep prayer and understanding of what God wants for us. We strive to continue in His will and align ourselves with His master plan. While we set our own clocks, God operates on His own timing, though we know that one day He will return.

## A prayer for the year's end

I would like to share a prayer for the blessings of the past year. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O God, the beginning and the end of all things, who art always the same, and whose years fail not, we now, at the close of another year, kneel in adoration before Thee, and offer Thee our deepest thanks for the fatherly care with which Thou hast watched over us during the past; for the many times Thou hast protected us from evil of soul and body; and for the numberless blessings, both temporal and spiritual, which Thou hast showered upon us. May it please Thee to accept the homage of grateful hearts, which we offer Thee in union with the infinite thanksgiving of the Divine Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with Thee liveth and reigneth forever and ever. Amen.

*If you believe in God Almighty, everything you pray and hope for in the new year can come true.*