The Mercy of a New Year!

The coyotes woke me again tonight. Well, I ought to say the dogs woke me, what with their running and barking and guarding and sounding the alarm. I love watching them work, and think they look beautiful racing around with their long legs and communicating with one another. It’s a bother waking in the middle of the night, but usually it’s because I either have an infant needing milk or dogs needing my attention. Both are worth waking for.

As the ruckus settled, I was patting my dogs and looking out from my front porch at the blue-black sky punctured with clear stars, thinking of what I might goal-set for the new year. But the beauty of the sparkling frozen ground lit with my flashlight’s wonderings filled me with more gratitude than wants. I have no new year resolutions. In my mind, every morning of the year is a brand-new-day resolution to glorify God in the best way I can, to serve and love others and to do my best, giving my life to them. And as often as I falter during a 24 hour period, the thought of crafting one or more resolutions for 365 days (in a row?!) frightens me to no end!

Much easier for me to ponder my thankfulness, to count my blessings. I’ve had the most relaxing end of the year. Yes, the thorns in my life have been plenty (see the last post), and I’ve been fodder for an unexpected and astonishing amount of unkind gossip, but the indwelling joy of the Lord is untouchable. I love His peace, even in the hurts. It is truly like a river glorious. I have so much to be thankful for, but none compares to being saved by His grace and His presence within me.

The turnabout in our house sale caught me a bit off guard, but I am humbled and thankful for it. I had mentally prepared for the challenges ahead, and also physically prepared by collecting moving boxes and removing things off the walls. And yet here we stay! Suddenly I am planning not only a garden outside of my kitchen, but an enormous new one in the front yard. I am retracting my request for a honeybee babysitting service, and reconnecting with a shepherdess regarding lambs. And for the first time in more than a year, I feel I can just snuggle into my house and not worry about how we’re going to make it all work. A dear friend reminded me that it was not my job nor my calling to worry! I know I am worth more than the lilies of the field, and because I am under His care, I can trust God to provide meat and clothing regardless of where I am living in this vaporful life’s span of mine. My husband is encouraging, positive, passionate about loving others in Christ to good health, and I am thankful for the opportunity to bless him while I have breath. I know the Lord will bless the work of his hands, and I will continue to be his biggest cheerleader no matter where we put our heads at night.

I have also been blessed with beautiful friends. Friends who press me forward and encourage me in the Lord to continue to love “much”, because I have been forgiven “much”. Luke 7:47 …to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. Friends who trade eggs, text Scripture, and celebrate God’s goodness with me in all things. Friends who join me in crazy new endeavors and friends who joy with me in keeping our homes and loving our husbands and children, serving our wonderful Saviour in the process. One friend said that selling the house and trying to become debt free was probably becoming more of a yoke of bondage than just dealing with a mortgage, and that I could rest in my husband’s decisions, knowing that I could “rejoice to be not entangled again in any yoke of bondage”. Praise the Lord for His sweet freedom! And for the blessing of these sisters who remind me!

I am blessed by the quietness of mid-night, of winter, of the quieted land and animals, of the quiet household tonight with sleeping children, and of a quiet, sound mind. It is already a new day, and my resolution for today, the gift I have right now, is as the wonderful hymn says, Lord, take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to thee…

May the Lord bless your efforts in the new year, and may His peace be yours.