New Year Resolutions

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19

Do you ever ask yourself why we "make" New Year Resolutions?  Most of us do it, and they are usually things we want to change about ourselves for the new year.  Maybe we are going to workout more, or eat less, or spend more time with our families.  Or maybe it's to make more money or spend less money, get on a budget...  It's as if the calendar year changing gives us all a fresh start. 

But - as is our nature I guess, we also tend to break our resolutions before the end of January.  We get motivated, start that direction and then life gets in our way.  We too easily fall back in to our old habits.  Not everyone is this way, of course, but I'll step out and say that a large majority of those who make the resolutions never see them to the end of the year.  Personally, I have countless failed resolutions over the years. 

So for me, I am not making any resolutions this year.  I have a lot of hope and excitement about the coming year.  But that is based only on my anticipation of what Father is going to do with and for us this year.   I have hope that I will be a healthier person, but that's my hope no matter what day of the year it is.  We were really good at running and working out for a while and let up over the fall.  We've recently renewed our gym membership and are going to start working out again.  This was something we did not because of the new year, but because we both have gained weight and want to stay healthy for our grandchildren. 

I try to renew my commitment to living a faithful life true to my Father on a daily basis.  I look for the Holy Spirit to guide me each day, as a new day with new hopes and dreams.  "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24  (Or as we like to say, "I will CHOOSE to rejoice and be glad in it!")  This is not something that has any bearing on a calendar day.  It has to do with my commitment to my Father.

I hope that whatever resolutions you choose this year, that you are blessed abundantly and that you use this time not to dwell on the past year but to anticipate what is coming in the future - the streams in the wastelands.

Living the Blessed Life,

~ Jessica

New Year's Eve Adventures

A lot has been said lately about this decade ending and a new one beginning.  I have seen many of my friends say what a bad decade it's been.  Discussions are going on around all the tragedies and dismay that resulted over the last 10 years.  It can be pretty depressing if you get caught up in all of it.

Personally, I don't see it this way at all.

I recall a country that went from being complacent and self centered to standing together as we mourned the loss of so many on 9/11.  Remember how the fireman and policeman were brought back up to the level of respect they deserved?  Or how strangers began to speak and we were reminded to stop and spend time with family and friends?  As tragic as that time was for our country, there were a lot of good things that came from that time as well.

I saw more monetary wealth than I imagined in my life at the beginning of the decade and by 2005, it was all gone.  For many reasons, but the result is I've found I am richer now in my life than I've ever been.    I've lost many "things" over the lasts 10 years, and I've seen heartache in that time.  But for me, I'm thankful for the experience of the decade and looking forward to a blessed new year.

Speaking of...  I read a blog recently that questioned Bishop TD Jakes motives for making the statement that 2010 will be a prosperous year.  The comments on that blog were attacking to say the least.  This blog was listed on a "christian" blog site.  I have to say here, because I can, that I was completely disappointed in the response to the article.  The article itself was only stating facts and questioning other's thoughts on it.  But the responses were not only judgemental and condeming, but made based on perceptions and none of them had any valid points.  I'm sad that those "christians" were so quick to judge and condemn.  In fact, I'm curious as to who determined that prosperous was only monetary?  And by the way, do we live in the world's economy or God's?  There was also discussion that the economy wasn't that bad anyway.  There was one person who stated that it only meant we had to cancel movie channels and boo hoo if we did.  I'm glad that person is blessed enough that they didn't have to give up more than their movie channels, but it's very naive to think that's all that others had to give up.  I've seen families that became homeless, people who lost homes, cars, jobs, and businesses because of this world's economy.  I don't know a lot about Bishop Jakes personally - but I do know that it's not my place to question his heart.  And I'm thankful for the expectation that this next year will be prosperous and for the blessings my Father has promised me as His child! 

OK...  I feel MUCH better now! 

What are your plans for tonight?  Please be safe!  We are hanging out with 3 grandbabies and two sons tonight.  :-)  Looks like we'll be going to an early movie and then dinner, and home for fun and games.  It's a great way to bring in a New Year and the new decade!  We really have no plans for tomorrow, which is funny becaue we usually have some kind of meal planned with the family.  This holiday we have spent a lot of time just hanging out with the grandbabies.  We play games, the Wii, watch movies, or just play with them.  It's been a nice and relaxing week.  Life is good.

Living the Blessed Life....

Jessica