Happy New Year

To all my readers, friends and family a happy new year. 

I quit making resolutions a long time ago.  But as life speeds by me:

Every day I am grateful for all I have.  Born an American,  accountable only to myself, my God and a representative government which I helped to elect.  My beautiful family, including a new grandson and granddaughter this year.  My magnificent friends, who are not only interesting and charming and sweet tempered, but also insane enough to tolerate me.  My health and my good mind.  The city and surrounds of Seattle, which have helped make me the person I am.

Also every day I try to give a little thought to the big and small things that could challenge me and those I love.   Do I trust the power to stay on in the windstorm or should I get out the candles and headlamps now, while I can still see to organize things easily?  Is there gas in the cars, cash in everyone's pocket, are all the cell phones and emergency radios charged up?   Is there enough food and water to last if we get cut off from the world for a week?    Is the laundry, the financial paperwork, the cleaning caught up enough so that a family or business crisis won't mean a fiscal or housework mess too?

Most important, every day I check in with God to see how I'm doing.  If there's something I don't think he wants to hear about,  I make sure that's the first thing I get off my chest.  After I confess to myself and the One who knows it already anyway, it seems a lot easier to move along; to make the apologies and mend the hurts and change my ways so it won't happen again.

AskMom, and the real person behind her, is so very far from perfect.   But therein is the true beauty and the timeless necessity of our faith.   Human failings are large indeed.  The forgiveness and salvation offered us are bigger still.   Inside the heart of a humble carpenter of Galilee is a universe of hope and love. 

Take his hand, and be resolute.  Come what may this new year, we know there will be work to do, challenges to meet, people who need our help and love.   And if the worst should come, remember the words of C.S. Lewis, speaking through the King of Narnia in his book The Last Battle:

All worlds draw to an end, and a noble death is a treasure no one is too poor to buy.

May the Lord bless us all, in this world and in his. 
 

Comments

[Bennett46]

Oh, I wish I could write like you...I can't, but I can share your writing with friends!

Thank you and Happy New Year!

[Lana]

Happy New Year! I greatly enjoy your writing and your sense of right.