New Year Thoughts

At the start of every new year, there are so many things to think about! :) First off, recalling all of God's Providences and blessings throughout my last year, and goals accomplished, and things done. The serious business of closing out an old year.

And then I begin to think about this year, and some of the sobriety leaves. Strange thoughts flood my mind. Things like: "Wow! I'll be twenty next year!" and "Should I say "Two-thousand-eleven, or Twenty-ten?" and "Blast, now I'll have to get used to writing 2011!".

And then the remembrance creeps in that Dad asked us to make goals for this new year. I begin to think, and for once, can come up with my list quite easily. I guess I have a lot of things going right now, if I can compile a list with all the proper categories that quickly! :) Dad likes us to make lists like this:
Spiritual Goal: a goal like memorizing Scripture, or committing to personal devotional time with Jesus, or something like that
An Academic, or Intellectual goal: like finishing a certain something in school (for me, this year, graduating! :) or committing to reading a particular book, or something
A Creative goal: Learning a new skill, committing to a certain project, etc.
And General goals: whatever else doesn't fit in the above categories.

The list that comes out now and again throughout the year to make me feel slightly panicky with the realization that, although I've done many other things, I've procrastinated on the very goals I named for this new year. ;)

Nevertheless, I like ringing in a new year! It gives a perfect opportunity for a fresh start. And there are many things to think of. I stand on the brink of the new year wondering what the Lord will have for me this year, how Jesus can use me, and just what will my life look this time next year? And I have no way of knowing beforehand. My life could look much different than it does now. Or it could look much the same. Exciting things could have happened. Or I could have become up close and personal with the steady, simple, uneventful side of life. There's no way to tell! :)
So here's to adventure- the kind that a Christian finds in following Christ, letting Him lead you, and steer the ship, while you simply let yourself be a channel.
And here's to the New Year. May God bless you richly in it, and may you look on it next year, and be able to say in truth that you gave it to the Lord, and He, in turn, used it mightily. ~Rachel