Well this new year has gotten off to a bit of a rocky start . . . .  Not that I had any wonderful stupendous plans but hey, for a lack of a better word:
Blah.
My Bah Humbug isn’t for Christmas it’s for the New Year.
It didn’t start with a bang but more of a wheeze- the whoosh of that last bit of air going out of my sails.
Pffffftttt.
So I sit here thinking perhaps I should postpone New Years until February. Just skip the whole month of January . . . . .
Lovely thought.
Not reality but still . . . .
This isn’t how I wanted things to start off . . . .
‘Course how we ended 2008 wasn’t exactly according to my grand plan either . . . .
Ah well.
You know what they say- God laughs when we make plans.
We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps. Proverbs 16:9
So, I guess it was the Lord’s determining how these things are progressing rather than my own.
And that is, of course, for the best.
I am determined not to let the joy suckers of my life suck me dry.
My joy comes from the Lord and He never runs dry.
So what’s a girl to do?
Well for starters- I need to finish putting away Christmas. I love putting it all up but I simply dread taking it all down. Even more so this year.
And: Start boxing up some old youth ministry books and making room on the shelves. I’ve got two bookcases full of youth ministry books here at my home office and I know I won’t be using it all in the next 4 months—so its going to get boxed up and stored in the youth room @ church. I’m pretty sure this will make me feel a bit better.
I don’t like clutter- I like order and to see space between things.
Perhaps it will all feel like more of reality if things start “going away”.
Know something funny?
I’m thinking up and writing some great youth lessons right now- I haven’t been this “on” in a long time. Probably comes from the freedom of knowing . . . .
Last week I took my paper shredder in . . . . . I proclaimed it Good Riddance Day and had the youth fill out a paper with all the things they hated/disliked about 2008. All the hurts and pains etc. I had them write it all down- give it over to God and shred it! Say: Good Riddance to bad rubbish!
I then handed out papers that said “HOPE” and “Shine in 2009”. We read verses about our real hope being found only in Jesus and in maintaining a relationship with him and then each youth wrote at least one thing they hope for in 2009- not an item like a new snowboard or car but something they need- something they need to hope in. I.E: I hope to get along better with my family. I hope to spend more time in the Bible. I hope to keep up my grades. Stuff like that.
It was an excellent study. One we all could do . . . . .
Do you have some things about 2008 you would like to say “Good Riddance” to? Why don’t you do it- if you don’t have a shredder- how about just setting the paper on fire?

It seems I am beginning to find my way again and blaze a trail . . . .
I must say it is a bit more than a trifle exciting!