Putting First Things First in 2008

Happy New Year! I just came back from an evening run where my dog pulled me the whole way. On top of my head sat a zillion sprawling stars sprinkled over my city street. Doesn't happen often that we can view a starry sky on my street---must be exceptionally dark in Benbrook tonight. And it's pretty neat that it coincided with reading Genesis 1 in the Bible today. It's not dark in my soul, though. It's the first day of the new year and I hold such hope in my heart. We've closed the chapter dated 2007 which was, by far, the hardest year of my life. Psalm 27:13 - I would have despaired had I not believed that I would see the goodness of my God in the land of the living!

No one knows what this coming year holds for any of us. But I'm on my knees so very grateful to my beautiful God tonight that my year ended in hope not despair. Sometimes, I don't know how shifts happen. I'm just so grateful they do! For my God is showing up in my life and I can't be any more grateful---did I just say that? Smile.

This is my one year blog-a-versary. I have found a safe haven, a community where acceptance reigns not judgment. And I can't thank you enough for that. You have meant so much to me this year where life has interrupted long standing friendships. You'll never know how God has used your kindness, your encouragement, your support. So, thanks for stopping by and allowing God to use you on this journey on a narrow road. Matthew 7:14.

When, I started this blog thing, it took me 6 months to figure out how to use blogger.com---in fact, I set up seven blogs before I could get one to work. And I couldn't remember the passwords to any of them---my college son looked at me in utter amazement. LOL.

I quoted C.S. Lewis in my very first post: “You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first.” Matthew 6:33. So, once again this new year, may we put first things first.

I am very good at setting goals and going after them---have been doing it all my life. But this year, as I set my goals for 2008, it's different. And I keep thinking and meditating on Galatians 3:3 - "After beginning with the Spirit, are you trying to attain your goals by human effort?" We can do a lot by our sheer will power. But what can be explained in our lives by the fact that God did it. It's not about how strong I am to accomplish my goals---it's all about how strong He is in me. He is our awesome God who paints the landscapes of our skies and souls with hope. Happy New Year to each of you. I hope 2008 will be a year marked with putting first things first.