Happy New Year!!! What a beautiful Christmas season this has been!!! I hope you have had as much JOY fill your heart as I have had this special year....
And, now, as Melody Beattie has taught me in her book Journey to the Heart, I find myself reflecting on this past year just enough to begin setting a path of discovery for 2014. As Melody suggests, setting goals sets in motion a powerful force both on the conscious and subconscious level in our heads and our hearts. Goals give us purpose, direction and motivation! Set a few new goals for yourself this year - write them down and see what happens in your life! Don't oppress yourself or set goals that are too lofty or set unattainable goals that will depress yourself just a few weeks from now - do NOT beat yourself up because you don't meet the challenge by January 21st! Allow yourself the freedom to set small, simple goals that propel you forward. Give yourself a boost and re-adjust when necessary!
Throw away any hammer in your head or your house that you tend to beat yourself up with on a daily or weekly basis. Instead, take a walk in the beautiful, crisp, cold air of winter and find a feather to use on yourself. Feathers are much more gentle while beating yourself to a pulp!!!
Also, asking God to direct our sails in this endeavor is bound to bring about incredible changes in our lives for the upcoming year! Have you ever thought about including God while making New Year's Resolutions or goals for 2014? If not, try it! He is waiting for us to include Him in everything.........every day........every decision......every thought! His ideas and desires for us are bound to open our hearts to new possibilities, new endeavors, new routes and new journeys that give us a unique perspective. His ways are much higher than ours and they are marvelous!!!
From Scripture, John 15:4 says: "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." (NKJV)
Or, another version says: "Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit unless you remain in Me.....Apart from Me, you can do nothing." (NIV)
Abide.........await........remain........to be in store for.......to tolerate....to bear....to last....to endure....to visit. When was the last time you stopped, waited and endured until you had an answer to a very perplexing question? Or set a goal? This is an art that our society definitely does not tolerate very much - We want things NOW!
Look at nature.......a tree does not grow in one day. A baby deer does not stand in one second....a rose does not bloom instantly.....a leaf does not sprout in one minute. Nature takes her time to grow and change and adjust....God allows us that time to do the same. Take time to abide today............just sit........slow down......imagine doing less and abide. It will be as lovely as snow falling....
Blessings and wonders abound - Look for them in the snow....look up into the sky and stare at the stars........they are twinkling just for you!!!
Abide in the awe and wonder created by our wonderful Creator....and enjoy 2014!!!
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