A new year...a new resolve

It happens every year.   Christmas rolls around and the next day I start thinking about my New Year's resolution.    Most of the time, my resolution will have something to do with pounds...and I'm not speaking about the European currency!    This year, however, things are different!

For starters, this year I really haven't had time to think about a New Year's resolution.    Also, this year, I really am not concerned about my weight.    Not that I wouldn't like to shed a few pounds, but this year its just not that high on my priority list!

This year, I want to major on the majors!    I want to not sweat the small stuff.    I want to learn to trust God in all things.    2010 was a year of simply faith at our church...and simply, faith was all we needed!    This past year was perhaps one of the hardest years I've experienced.   One trial after another attempted to derail my faith...yet God was faithful.  He brought us through.

I suppose want I do to accomplish this year is learning to trust Him to the extent that His faithfulness doesn't surprise me.   That I learn to expect it.   Not taking it for granted, but understanding that God's nature is faithful.     I want to learn to trust Him fully.  

He has never failed me.     His timing may not line up with my timeline...but then whose fault is that?  

Lord, help me to trust you more fully in 2011.   Thank you for all your blessings in the past year.   I look forward in great anticipation to what you will do in my future.  

Sunrise, Sunset

I am enjoying a beautiful day on a beautiful beach.    I don't believe I've ever done what I did this morning, but I learned something so valuable I just had to share!  

This morning, I awoke at 6:30 and scrambled (along with my camera) out to the beach in anticipation of the sunrise.   The sun was still about 20 minutes from rising, so I found myself alone on a quiet beach.   As the sky began to fill with color, I sat there talking to God...asking Him to speak to me.   Here is what He said to my soul in the early moments of this day.

"The sun will not rise one second before I tell it to.   You want it to rise right now...but you will have to wait.    The best you can do is anticipate it's arrival and prepare yourself to be in the right place at the right time.  The sun will, however, rise!     Whether you are prepared for it or not...it will rise.    It's up to you whether or not you will get to experience it."

Then it began to happen...the sky came alive in a glorious display of pinks, purples and oranges!   And I was so thankful that I had prepared myself to experience it.  

God's blessings are that way.   He expects us to prepare for them.   He pours Himself out daily...but so many times, I miss it completely.    I miss it in the way my kids want to spend time with me...but I'm too busy.   I miss it in the way a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, but I'm too wrapped up in my own problems to even hear what they are saying.     Little sunrises and sunsets throughout my day...glorious displays of love, friendship...grace.  And all too often, I miss it.

I'll will never again look at the sunrise the same way...may I be oh so careful to take every precaution...to NEVER miss the sunrise!