Thoughts on the first day of 2018

Why won't I commit to getting up early to spend time in prayer, Bible reading and reflection? It just seems impossible.

It's one of many things in my life that still just seems impossible.

Lord, I lift that up to You. It's an area where I hope to improve each year, but I always come up short.

On the first day of a new year, Craig Denison's First 15 devotional guide suggests that I won't miss that time. But that doesn't seem possible, either.

From First 15:  "The best way to consistently encounter the transformative love of God is to set aside time early each morning that you’ll never miss." (Emphasis added by me.)

He acknowledges that creating a habit can be difficult but notes that there is "no greater pursuit than a deeper relationship with God." He suggests: "Pick a time you can consistently meet with him. Before you go to sleep ask God to give you grace and desire to wake up and encounter him. The more you do it the easier it will become. And as you grow in the knowledge of God and his goodness, time spent with him will become your favorite time of the day."

Can He help me get to bed earlier and then to work out the logistics with Gene? That's part of what I don't understand how is supposed to work.

I have been aware recently that there are too many distractions at the gym for me to read my devotionals, pray and reflect. It worked in the past, but for some reason it does not anymore, although I still can do it when I'm on the treadmill at home.

As I looked for new spiritual guidance at the start of this year, I also signed up to get Proverbs 31 devotions delivered to my primary inbox. Today's first one, by Katy McCown, was good. But it linked me to her blog, at http://katymccown.com/, with words that may be even more vital for me:

"My plan for the future is to be faithful with today."

 

McCown writes: "Today, I find myself in an uncertain place. This new year brings a lot of change and more questions than answers. But one thing I know I can do is engage in today. I can choose to be faithful today. And as I do, I can be sure I’m participating in God’s dreams for me.

"How can you be faithful today? Maybe it’s a simple trip to the grocery store or a story before bedtime, but it matters. Resist the urge to let your mind wander to tomorrow or next week or this summer or five years from now. Let God use today to form you for your tomorrow."

True to the way God often works in my life, just before I sat down to finish writing this, I ran across one more concept shared by a friend that seems to reinforce the approach that was shaping up within me.

Mary Lou Moad posted on Facebook: "All you really have is Today. Today, do the next right thing. Let tomorrow worry about itself when it comes."

I think God's message to me on the first day of 2018 is to not think I have to finally have the plan for my whole life, and not even the whole year or month or week. How about just be faithful today? Do the next right thing.

And it's scriptural, from Matthew 6:

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ^{...  28} “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

I think this passage from James 2 also applies, because God's not telling me to sit back and do nothing. He's telling me to do what I can today and not worry about the rest. But, what's the scriptural phrase? Faith without works is dead.

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Back to Katy McCown's post that was shared by the Proverbs 31 ministry. She said she wasn't a morning person, but now she is. "Now, when I wake up I choose not to catalog the day’s events and decide if I want to get up or go back to sleep. Instead, I start by talking with my Lord. My time with Him sets the pace for the day, and that alone makes getting up worth it!"

So, I don't know where this will lead me. Even though I pretty much failed at planning in the past year, I kept trying. Not trying feels like failure.  But it also feels like faith. I believe God is continuing to shape me. And I believe the result will be good.

Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (NKJV)

Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.” (NKJV)

A different way to end

I thought (hoped!) I was going to come up with a different way to chronicle the end of the year on this blog. But apparently not. This is my third "shell" today, along with several others in recent weeks. And unless some crazy inspiration comes while I go find something for my husband and me to eat on this New Year's Eve, this is my end-of-the-year post. It seems very foreign to me. And maybe that's OK. Just for today.

Because what I write doesn't affect who I am. I am a child of God. I am loved. I am grateful and blessed. Today and always.

UPDATE: What I found for supper is what my amazing husband prepared -- fried fish (including some that I caught!) with fried sweet potatoes, plus some salad I put together. One more reason I feel grateful and blessed! And if the weather ever turns warm again, now that I have my OKLAHOMA LIFETIME FISHING LICENSE, I can go with Gene to catch some more fish! Looking forward to a happy year in 2018!

Things I had hoped to post in 2017

More than any year I can recall, 2017 was when I let slip many opportunities to document details or summaries of fun and interesting travels and experiences.

Maybe in the first week of January (or the first month of 2018) I'll come back here and list some of them. I'm filing this today so it will be in the proper place chronologically. It feels like cheating, but it's a plan that I hope will buy me some time and help me accomplish my goal.

Christmas with the family

I've fallen way behind this year on blogging about happenings I want to keep accounts of, and here I go again. I'm just now writing a shell of what I hope to chronicle from the Davidson Family Christmas celebration that was now two days ago, on Dec. 29.

Preparing for Christmas is always a challenge for me, and this year, the dates and the weather added to my fun. For many reasons, having Christmas on a Monday messed with my mind. The most obvious time warp issue was that Christmas Eve was also the fourth Sunday in Advent, which for me amounted to one less day to get ready for traditional Christmas Eve observances at church and then a gathering on Christmas Day with my husband's sister and her son.

On the other hand, my mom and siblings didn't have our gathering until Dec. 29, so I should have all kinds of time to get ready, right? Yeah, right. But what about the weather? How can I plan when the forecast looks so cold and wintry, but I keep hoping it will change?

The one thing that happened most often was that when I finally settled on a plan based on how I thought things would go, the situation changed more quickly than I would have thought possible, and a different plan unfolded. But each time, things turned out fine!

I always enjoy the time with my family, and this year was no exception. Mom and all of her children were there, and as many of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren as could make it. We miss those who aren't there, but no matter who makes it, it is always lively and fun.

For the most part, everything ended up working out pretty smoothly. I didn't worry in advance as much as usual, and I only had a couple of meltdowns that I recall. And the weather allowed for safe travel all around.

Christmas music to my ears!

My Merry Christmas was off to a good start, and it just got better!! Love this guy (and this music that proclaims the reason for the season)! ❤️🎄 🎶 ✝️⭐️

Point of Grace’s new CD, “Sing Noel.” #PointofGrace #SingNoel #LifeWay

Merry Christmas! Friendship is among the best gifts. And family. And faith. We all have all of those. May we never forget how blessed we are!! Thanks for being my friends!

Put a ring on it!

It doesn’t matter what year you graduated. If you attended Muenster High School, this first state football championship, which was won today in Arlington, was for you. I’m class of 1977, so it’s 40 years since I graduated after our team made it to the area playoffs or some level that seemed higher than a Muenster team had ever been at the time. In recent years, teams have gotten better and better. But the championship trophy was elusive. This year, it’s Muenster’s. It was a fun game. There are many elements to the story. I hope to share more of what I appreciated later.

We had a little unplanned and unwanted excitement at my husband's homestead last Sunday. We were headed to Texas for fishing and Christmas music after church in Norman but got an “uh-oh” call just north of Ardmore.

About 15 to 20 acres burned. Fortunately, there was no damage to structures. Good work by Lindsay, Myra and other volunteer firefighters.

And I made it to hear my niece in the Christmas program.

But we didn't make it to the lake.