Welcome 2009!

Happy New Year!  I hope that everyone entered the new year in style … that is, in whatever style you like!

Of course, the big topic today is resolutions.  Have you made any?  I feel a little like Valerie Bertinelli in that Jenny Craig commercial, but we have already taken care of the eating better/getting in shape/weight loss thingy.  If you have been reading the blog this past fall, you know that Chris and I did First Place with a group at our church.  I won’t talk about how well he did (other than to say that he looks great!), but I lost about 20 pounds and two dress sizes!

This year we just need to keep it up!

I am resolving to, again, read the Bible through in a year.  This year, I am using my new ESV Study Bible.  The people who produced the ESV suggest this reading plan, which would also work with any study Bible of your choice.  Today’s reading was great.  The study helps provided are so … helpful.  I look forward to learning a lot this year through the notes.

Other than that, I don’t know that I have any hard and firm resolutions.  Yes, I want to be healthy, work hard, contribute to society, do the best I can at all that I set out to do … but those are goals for every day, not just for the beginning of the year.

What about you?  Care to share any of your resolutions?  If you don’t make resolutions, why not?

 

Reaching the End of 2008

Whew … it’s good to be back!  We had a wonderful week of Christmas, spent lots of time in the car, and what time we weren’t in the car we spent eating!

I had hoped to be back to blogging two days ago, but you know about good intentions.  Monday was spent doing all of the things you need to do after being away from home for five days – laundry, returning e-mails, etc.  Yesterday (Tuesday), I again had good intentions for lots of things.  However, I spent a good portion of the day playing Pathwords, which has become our new favorite way to totally waste an hour or two, and loading music onto my new mp3 player.  And, yes, I did spend the day in my pajamas!

So, today is the day.  The final day of 2008.  We don’t have any major plans – a 5:00 communion service at our church, and then it’s home to make chocolate chip cookies and watch movies.  Oh, yes – Vanderbilt plays in the Music City Bowl this afternoon.  I have arranged my day so that I can be in front of the television at about 2:30.  Go ‘Dores!

What about you?  Do you like to go out and celebrate on New Year’s Eve, or do you prefer to spend it at home with those closest to you?  How will you ring in 2009?

Regardless of how you plan to celebrate tonight, I leave you and the year that was with this traditional Gaelic blessing:

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.