Inspiration for the New Year

5 Jan

A little inspiration for our new year’s aspirations, paths to be tread, dreams to be dreamed, and travels that await.

signature

 

Dear Lord, please give me…

A few friends who understand me and yet remain my friends.

A work to do which has real value, without which the world would feel the poorer…

A mind unafraid to travel, even though the trail be not blazed.

An understanding heart…

A sense of humor.

Time for quiet, silent mediation.

A feeling of the presence of God.

And the patience to wait for the coming of these things, with the wisdom to know them when they come.

~W.R. Hunt

Taken from Treasured Stories of Christmas  by Guideposts

 

Niagra-0004

 

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,

with thee, O Father, as my harbor,

thee, O Son at my helm,

thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

~The Valley of Vision

Inspirations for a New Year

Roads go ever on and on,

Over rock and under tree, 

By caves where sun has never shone, 

By streams that never find the sea;

Over snow by winter sown, 

And through the merry flowers of June, 

Over grass and over stone, 

And under mountains in the moon.

Roads Go Ever On and On ~J. R.R. Tolkien

 

Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand. ~Proverbs 19:21

Share This Post With Your Friends!
Filed Under: Contemplation, Holiday, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Evaluating What Remains

30 Dec

Unpacking Christmas Evaluating What Remains

We return our decorations to their storage boxes to conclude another Christmas past. Upon evaluation of what remains, alongside the pine needles and glitter specks, I find wonder.

The wonder for Christians post-Christmas continues; the decorations are laid to rest year after year but our Savior lives on.

We pack away temporal Christmas treasures symbolizing peace, love, joy, and eternal hope; yet, eternal life is the gift that remains. No one can put a lid on the true meaning of Christmas because inexpressible light and joy promises to live on in the hearts of believers until such a time for His second coming.

The wrapping paper and boxes are disposed, the gifts received, and a few presents returned and in it all is this: The gift was given just over two thousand years ago and His is the gift which gives eternal.

As we embark on a new year, it is with the knowledge that no present brings peace and no gift brings reconciliation except the Christ whose birth we celebrate each year.

We stand on the threshold of a new year remembering His promises: Jesus will return and until such time He rewards those who live with faith and earnestly seeking Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Happy New Year, dear ones. I look forward to seeking our Savior with you in the year to come.

signature

Share This Post With Your Friends!
Filed Under: Contemplation, Holiday Tagged With: , ,

With Gratitude

21 Dec

As we draw closer to Christmas, the culminating holiday (holy day) before a new year, I want to take a moment to speak to my faithful readers. Thank you so much for making even one post from this year a part of your day. This creative outlet is for me, one of my greatest joys in life. It is remarkable how the Lord pulls my inner thoughts and the outward workings of life together in weekly 500 word posts. He is so very faithful even when I am not.

Reader-friend, thank you.

 Thank you for all the Tweets, the Facebook shares, the mentions to friends and family to gather here and pursue a holy, eternity-minded life together. You have no idea how blessed I am to hear when something I have scribbled out in this corner of the Internet has impacted your life or helped to put into words inner emotions and thoughts that you experience. I am humbled that God would use my passions and His pursuits to bless you.

I will be taking a break until the New Year. (Unless the Spirit puts an irrepressible word on my heart!) I look forward with anticipation to the soul lessons of the coming year.

With deepest gratitude, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. ~Colossians 3:1-4 (emphasis mine)

 

All photos courtsey of Ron.

Share This Post With Your Friends!
Filed Under: Life Tagged With: , ,