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New Year’s Eve 2015

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Well Happy New Year’s Eve to you!

We all have different ways of bringing in the new year that vary from family to family. Some have certain foods that are eaten either today or tomorrow, some gather with friends and some head to bed at the usual time and treat it just like any other day.

As a child, I have memories of huddling around a small black and white television and watching Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians with my family.
(Oh…young or old out there…please do yourself a favor and google YouTube New Year’s Eve 1957…the clock…the Clairol ad…classic…)

We would watch the ball dropping in Times Square every year.

Although I must admit that with the quality of film and the size of the screen, sometimes I missed the whole descent and then boom…it was over. Just getting to stay up that late was a treat and then in the 1970’s Dick Clark introduced his Rockin’ New Year’s Eve…anybody??

Another image that sticks in my mind about the New Year was the cartoon depictions of the past year as a tired old man weighted down with a sickle. He looked haggard and weary and defeated. The New Year was a diaper clad, chubby baby with a toothy smile; wearing a beauty queen sash sporting the numbers for the new year.

I found all of this disturbing. And slightly depressing.

Even as a child, I figured out that in 365 days that saucy little tot was going to be transformed into the bearded old man in a long robe…and another baby would be grinning and wide-eyed right on his heels.

It seemed so pointless. And sad.

But somewhere along my journey, I realized that the meaning and purpose of life is not found in this predictable and hopeless beginning and ending; but in the One who has no beginning and no end.

We don’t cycle in a year.

We progress forward day to day.

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One step at a time.

This coming year will have a familiar ebb and flow of mornings and evenings, weeks and weekends, seasons, celebrations, ups and downs. But it will be unique and each day will be a display of His new mercies.

Our family entered 2015 with a hope deferred. Some wonderful thing that we thought would be happening had fallen through right before the holiday season kicked off. We took our heavy hearts to God and we let Him minister to us as we shared Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Years together in sweet ways.

And then in March…

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we found out He had a little blessing and delight planned that had not been on our radar at all…a precious bundle named Joel Timothy who arrived in October this year.

As I look at his sweet face and hold him in my arms, I marvel that this time last year we had no idea what God was up to.

We have had some hard things as well, this year…but He has been faithful.

And so as we turn the calendar to a new year, we don’t really know what it will hold…but we can be assured that our God is already ahead of us just as He is with us today. And while the year had a mix of good and bad, all of it is held in His hands as a treasure stored and kept safe.

He is Ancient of Days, but never a weary and tired old man…He is always doing something new and yet remains unchanged.

Nothing takes Him by surprise. Nothing and no one is out of His reach.

May God bless you as you move forward with Him into 2016.

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I pray that we will be like Him…and be found faithful in the coming year <3

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8 Comments

  1. Like everyone else we’ve had our ups and downs this year. But we know He is always there with us, at our side through those times. And I’m always blessed by the words He gives you to encourage us each day. May God bless you throughout 2016!

    1. Thank you so much for YOUR words of encouragement to ME!!! God bless you and yours in the coming year!
      We know whatever happens, when it is winding down in December we will look back and declare – HE IS FAITHFUL!!

  2. Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing a balanced life. If all we share is positive, then that is not reality. We have positive and difficult things that happen, but God is faithful in it all!

    1. I so very much agree…and thanks for using the word “balanced”…because that is exactly what I strive for! God has never let me down…any time I think He has it is because I wanted MY plans…not His. He is so very faithful..so patient…and truly truly HIS strength is made perfect in my weakness! <3
      Blessings on you all!

  3. Stopping by to wish you a New Year filled with bountiful blessings! I have only visited randomly the past few months. Life got cuh-razy and out of control…literally. But all has settled down and I eagerly welcome all 2016 will bring. Plan on seeing me more often, my friend, as blog visiting is on my list of “must do”. As always, your post is thought provoking, heartfelt and uplifting. Hugs and much love!

    1. Hey you! God bless you Lisa!! I tell you, I can relate to the year getting out of hand. I feel like I just started a forward stumble about June and have been tripping along trying to keep up ever since!!! I want to SLOW down and be more focused in 2016….taking a deep breath and leaning hard back into Jesus as we cruise into the new year — – <3

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