It's 2012! Happy New Year! I know you might be tired of hearing and seeing this, but it has to be said. My fingers have been missing my keyboard, and although sadness came with today's routine, we jump into this new year optimistic. I know I missed Daddy being home this morning when we got up, but our little girls missed him even more. They just can't understand why he "HAD" to go back to work. Trying to get back into the swing of things can be a little overwhelming, but all in all it was a good day.
I have so many stories to tell, cute things the girls said, outings we took, presents we were excited about, and delicious recipes to share. I hope I will get to share most of them in the coming weeks. I hope your Christmas was full of fun and making great memories as well. Our Christmas was filled with joy and excitement, but also pain and sadness as we lost a dear family member unexpectedly. I do hope you will keep our family members in your prayers.
There are so many things I could write about today. Things I read that I would love to share. Everyone likes to talk about resolutions and life-makeovers. There is "New Year New You" info everywhere you turn. I do not really make resolutions. I do like to make goal lists, and I do have to say mine is longer than normal this year. We also make a major prayer list for the year; we list things we know we will be facing and prepare ourselves for the unknown of the new year. My "Goals list" turned into a notebook this year and will also be used for keeping more to-do lists and things to strive for and accomplish this year. I hope to add to it and cross things off throughout 2012. One new thing my list/notebook has is a verse for the year. I have never proclaimed a family verse for a new year, but I did feel led to do so.
Our verse is 1 Tim 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain." A simple verse really, but yet contentment is something that is hard to seek in a world where possessions mean so much to our society. Paul continues to say in verses 7 and 8, "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment (clothing) let us be therewith content." What a true statement. We brought nothing with us when we were born, and we can take nothing with us when we go. What matters is that we know the Lord as our personal Savior, so when it is our time to go we will go to be with Him in eternity.
2011 is the past. Yes, there may be problems that were not resolved by the end of the year, and they have followed us into this new year. There may be new problems that have arose in the three short days that we have spent in this new year. This year is not guaranteed to be any better than last. We may still have unanswered prayers and questions about where our lives are headed. But thankfully our God holds this year just like He has held us through every year. I pray for contentment no matter what God puts in front of us this year. I pray for contentment no matter the ups and downs that I am sure this year will hold. I am thankful that with contentment comes "great gain".
Today's verse and a very favorite of mine
"For God hath not given me a spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Tim 1:7
We do not fear what this year holds. We only lean on the One who holds our year. I would like to close with something I read in a book about writing, which is something I fall more in love with more everyday. The book is called "For the Write Reasons". It spoke volumes to me as I read this devotion yesterday. As we go into this new year with so many unanswered questions concerning different areas in our life, it was just what I needed from God to lean on in the coming year. I was wanting answers now, but instead He was gracious enough to send me these words from Marybeth Whalen...
"There are times in our lives when we must wait on God. The problem with waiting is that none of us like to wait...In our society, we do not see waiting as a beneficial experience. So how can we learn to trust God's sovereignty and His timing? As we wait on Him to move in our lives, we must actively practice laying down our wants, our demands, and our timetables at the foot of His throne. We must exchange our agenda for His, and truly seek to learn whatever lesson He is trying to teach us through this time of waiting. I have heard it said before that God is rarely early, but never late. As He shows up in what we might think is an eleventh-hour rescue, He shows us He had it all under control - and His resolution is oh, so much better than we could have ever orchestrated ourselves. Are you waiting on God right now? Perhaps you are waiting for financial or physical healing. Perhaps you are waiting for healing in a relationship. Perhaps you are waiting for God to reveal His plans for you and give you some direction...The scriptures today reassure us that God's timeline is perfect, but His timetable will probably not match ours. He has a purpose in His timing..."
I hope this helps comfort you if you are beginning your new year waiting for an answer or solution. I know it has helped me. The scriptures she is referring to are Is 30:18 and 2 Peter 2:8-9. I encourage you to read over these verses. Until next time, I hope you are getting back into the swing of things, and I look forward to spending 2012 writing every chance I get!
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