New Year, New Year, You're Finally Here!!

It was the last day of 2009. As that thought crossed my mind, my throat began to clog, and my eyes began tearing up. Why? Because I wasted so much of the year. Really. It should not have been that looking back, I thought, Wow, look at all those wasted minutes, hours, days, months, and now a year when I could've been serving Jesus but...I didn't! At this time of the year, sometimes it's easy for me to, instead of getting caught up in the celebratory mood of new beginnings and fresh starts, wallow in self-condemnation due to wasted time and regrets. Why didn't I do this instead of this? Why didn't I talk to that one person about Jesus? Why didn't I just go to that event instead of staying at home? Why did I say that to such and such? The list of questions could go on and on and on... Sad, huh?

Unfortunately, this story is not simply my own. I've met many people who, as the hours drew closer to New Years, only seemed to be down on themselves about how they lived their past twelve months. If I could put part of Romans 7 in the past tense for this situation, I’m sure it’d go something like this: I didn’t do the things that I wanted to do in 2009, but I happened to do all the things that I didn’t want to get caught up in! Instead of doing what I wanted to do, which was serving God the majority all year, I served my own selfish desires. This was not at all how at the beginning at 2009 I'd hoped to look back on the year, so I was quite down.

So, on New Year’s Eve, the day which had had turned so bleak in my eyes, the Lord led me to Romans 8:38-39 for my devotion, and how timely it was. I was at a low point, wondering why God was even bothering to bring me into another year (well...assuming I didn’t die or get raptured in the next few minutes.), especially since I had failed so miserably in the last. Why would God, the One who created the oceans, the planets, the birds, the elephants, the wind, the rain, the sunlight, the soul, the mind, and the heart, love me enough to give me a go at another year? The Word is just so powerful, and it brought me to tears He spoke the promise of an everlasting love, unchanged by anything in creation, including my imperfections and sorry attempts at pleasing Him in my own strength. What a wonderful God I serve!
So here I am, five days into 2010, and I am excited! Already God has been inspiring and challenging me with goals for this current year and decade. Here are a few of them: grow in my relationship with the Lord, learn to crochet, go on at least two missions trips, at least one being in a foreign country, cook more homemade meals, and get more involved at church. These are just a few of the things I aspire to do, but as the year goes on, perhaps I’ll share things as I’m accomplishing them! Overall, I really just want to "redeem the time," and make the most of every moment the Lord blesses me with! I definitely encourage any and everyone to make a list of goals you’d like to accomplish not only this year, but the future in general! The greatest goals are those inspired by Christ, so pray on it and get in the Word, and in His timing the Lord’s sure to reveal what changes should be made and things could and should be done.

Goals aside, I’ve really been enjoying myself! I had so much fun fellowshipping with my friend Alisha at Soul in Bloom  and another sister in Christ on New Year’s Day. My siblings and I also got to spend half the day with my older sister and her husband, and of course that was an awesome time (especially since we ate chicken and waffles, yummy delicious!). Then, after having a truly blessed time in church on Sunday, I got to practice driving the car with my dad! (Yes, another one of my goals for the year is to get my license and be driving myself around! ...and yes, I know I’m later at this than most, hehe.) There were very few close calls, and I don’t remember ever seeing my dad clench his fist against the door in fear! (Then again, I was focused on the road…) Oh, and a fresh batch of oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, using a recipe I got from Elise at simplyrecipes.com, was the perfect ending to the weekend and beginning of this week.

Well, it’s getting late, and two more goals come to mind: better sleeping habits and usage of computer time! So I must depart readers, but don’t worry, my next post will come sooner than a month this time. :) Happy New Year!