New Beginnings

In the beginning….

I love new beginnings. They’re like freshly fallen snow, before it’s been marred by footprints or snowplows. As I watch the flakes fall by my window, hiding the majestic Zugspitz mountain from my view in the snow-globe world in which I’m living, I rejoice in this new year.

I love making resolutions. It’s my chance to make a better year, to be a better me. So, here’s my list for this year (but not in order of priority).

1. To spend more time in the kitchen.

I told some of my friends this one last night. Their response was, “Why???” But with Ron gone for a while again (thanks to the US Army), and Chad, being the autistically picky eater that he is, often there’s only 3 of us eating (Derek, Sean and me). If I have someone coming over for dinner, I cook. Otherwise, I’ve been very sporadic. I realized recently that my kids need something more from me.

And then there’s the creative side of me. I really do enjoy cooking…when it comes out well. So, I’m setting that as one of my goals. Now, if only someone in my household would come up with a resolution to do clean-up, I’d be set.


2. To read a book a week.

I read recently about a guy who made this his goal last year, and succeeded. I thought, “Hey, I can do this.” I love to read, I just don’t usually keep track of all I’ve read. Let’s see if I can get through 52 books this year. Hmm, finishing The Brothers Karamazov might have to wait until next year. That one would really slow me down!

3. To be faithful with my daily Bible/Devotional/study reading.

This one is easy. I do it every year, and it seems like cheating to put it on my list. (I love reading....did I mention that already??... particularly anything Scripture related.) But it’s one of the priorities in my life, so it should be on my list.

People sometimes ask me what method I use for daily Bible reading. So I’ll share that here. First of all, I have “The Daily Bible : In Chronological Order 365 Daily Readings (With Devotional Insights to Guide You Through God’s Word),” with commentary supplied by F. LaGard Smith. Actually this is one of my favorite Christmas presents to give. You start at the beginning on January 1st, and read it like any other book. Being in chronological order helps the reader to keep everything in context, from the psalms to prophecies, to the time frames for the epistles. You finish Revelation 22 on Dec. 31st.

The other part of my morning consists of devotional readings….taken from “My Utmost for His Highest” and “Our Daily Bread” (both of which are linked here on my blog page).

The next thing I do is read Psalms and Proverbs. Daily. (I have several friends who do this as well...we got it from a Bill Gothard seminar.) We all ask for wisdom from God. He’s given us a book of wisdom. How can we ask, and then not read what He hands us? And Psalms….I have learned so much about praise from these writings. Anyway, on the 1st of each month I read Proverbs 1, and Psalms 1, 31, 61, 91, 121. There are 31 proverbs, so I read each one according to the day of the month. There are 150 psalms, which break down nicely into 5 psalms a day, leaving the 31st of the month as a lighter day. Whatever the day is (say the 16th), I read the16th Psalm, and then the 46th, the 76th, the 106th, and the 136th. Increments of 30. You get the picture.

Then the final thing I do....work on whatever Bible study I'm participating in at the time. I'm fortunate in that I have several opportunities to meet with other Christians and study together. And on the rare occasions that there's none going on, I do a study by myself. Some of my favorites... anything by Beth Moore or Cassandra Martin. We recently as a group finished Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby. I'd done it on my own before; it was good to get to do it with a group too. I also like the studies by Jerry Bridges.

4. To give my utmost for His highest.

That is my true goal for this year. I want every aspect of my life to be God-driven. I want to walk out my faith in a way that brings glory and honor to the One Who Loves Me.