To Better Times

I have never been one to make New Years resolutions, at least not after the first few times when I was very young. To me, there is no magical flip of the wrist that makes all the realities of the past year disappear, erased for a new slate to begin. We still have the old slate, which can only be wiped away by the blood of the Cross.

That being said, by observing the year in retrospect, I find that there are quite a few things we did this year that I want to do again. We’ve enjoyed some great Bible study, we’ve helped our tiny house church until it outgrew the house.  We’ve seen more animals this year than we’ve ever seen before, like javelinas, wild burros, moose, baby pronghorn, and we had one very interesting encounter with a pack of wolves. We’ve done some exciting ATVing, we’ve made friends, and we’ve made plans for a family reunion next summer.

We have also discovered some moves we don’t plan to make again, such as trusting too quickly, jumping too soon, making promises we wish we hadn’t kept. In other words, we need to learn to count the cost. We have found in the past that it is so much better to wait on God to speak to our hearts before we leap into any situation, be it personal or professional. Though we are happy for the experiences we’ve had this year because of the growth we’ve experienced, there are certain ones we would rather not have again.

What about you? What are some of the good, fun, empowering things you did this past year that you’d like to repeat? Are there some decisions you’ve made over the year that you wish you’d given more thought before leaping? What have you learned this year that will make this day, New Years Eve, a learning experience, a fine goodbye?

I wish you all the best in the coming year. May all your choices be wise, and all your learning experiences be positive. And if not, then next year you can bid a fond farewell, a fine goodbye, and change directions for 2021.