This Year I Will

 Sunday morning dawned a new year. In church, our eldest grandchild chose to slip in and sit between Elv and I. The cold winter outside the rows of windows flanking our quiet, waiting congregation was a beautiful back drop for our small gathering of smiling hearts.
    Jube nudged me and looking up with his twinkling blue-eyed smile mouthed, "Rabbit, Marmee!"
   "You got me, Sunshine!" I elbowed him back.
    Loving this child and the rest of our family is my first and foremost New Year's resolution.
   I used to believe that once the children were grown, I'd have time and think space to reach beyond my family to minister. What a laugh! This year I'm going to dig in and just BE for them and our church family as they come and go in our lives. Perhaps if I should simply BE for them, they will do the reaching beyond, richer and more effectively anyway.
     To keep a tidier entry and a cleaner bathroom are also part of what I want to do better this year. This one, every year!

 To read that fat tome that Lisl despaired of touching for now. The one that is preparatory to GTO's six week orientation. It's a fascinating book and I am enjoying it despite the intimidation of size and small print and pictures only of the contributing authors. It makes me feel grown-up just for a few seconds to even want to read it. Maybe it's not a page-turner, action story, and it's not a chocolate-treat Jan Karon, but there are the thoughts and testimonies from folks who have made it their business to teach and share the gospel. And I want to know. (Someone tucked it out of sight over Christmas vacation and I can't find it just now. If any of you kids knows where it is, please, I want it back.)
   To read through the Bible. This is astounding to me. I have never done that deliberately and in one setting, I mean, in one year. Ok, I did it, all you guys hiding behind the curtains. I admitted it, so now you can all come out, too. It's really okay. I am 50 plus years old and this year will be my first...if I make it through, that is.

And I am hoping to continue to keep a pretty cottage where the doors are always open for those who need a coffee break or a place to rest.
   If we are out when you arrive, come in and put wood on the fire and wash the dishes. Find a snack, leave a note.
   If we are here, plan on joining in on our ordinary lives: chores, a meal, and the living room hash.
   This year the garden is going to get a new lease on some old hay and tender loving care. Vegetables and flowers.  I need to have one, huge, overshadowing, funny-looking, nutrient eating, old, oak tree removed.
   This year's projects and goals shall be kept to short weekend visits to out-of-state family. Not remodeling, not world traveling, we hope, although that was great for last year and God blessed us wonderfully.
   This year, let's play more at the cabin. Let's go canoeing on Saturday evening. Let's take the boys fishing. Let's have garden teas and Sunday afternoon walks.
   Most of all, let's keep hope.
Hebrews 6:18 ...that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. 
Hebrews 7:19 ...for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.