HaPpY nEw YeAr!

Twenty fourteen was ushered out last night with some good company.  We were invited to a friend's parents house to help ring in the new year.  We had a great time of talking, eating, laughing, playing crazy competitive games and watching fireworks.  And at twelve thirty a.m., we consumed a huge amount of breakfast food~eggs, sausage, bacon, biscuits, chocolate gravy and cinnamon rolls.  I don't think I've eaten that late (early?) since I was a teenager.

It was lots of fun.

I thought I was going to sleep really late today, since I didn't go to sleep until three a.m., but that was not the case.  I was awake at 8:20 and reading my Bible and drinking a cup of coffee by 8:30.  :/  I suppose the days of sleeping in really late are gone.  Because I don't consider those times very late.  I might take a nap after I write this.

Yesterday I finished reading the Bible!  I love the ending of Revelation.  And today I started all over in the same chronological Bible.  My dad and I are going to swap versions tomorrow.  I read the NKJV in 2014, so this year I want to read the NLT.  :)

And today, other than being lazy, I have been reading in my new Bible and praying a lot.  I am committing to read the Bible every year for the rest of my life, or until Jesus returns.  I don't ever want to be caught not in God's word again.  And making the time each and every morning is crucial to my well-being, both spiritually and emotionally.  The more I read His word, the more like Him He makes me.

Truly.  If you don't believe me, try it for youself.

I am also committing to memorizing Scripture again this year.  One verse at a time.  I have been reading the Bible today and praying about what it is God would have me memorize first, and He gave me two verses, that I will make my first two verses of the year.  (I plan on memorizing two verses a month, but I may later change that to one a week.)

2 Corinthians 10:17 an 18 "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.  For it is not the one who commends himself  who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."

These verses are a wonderful reminder for me to not ever boast.  So I prayed that the Lord would keep me humble throughout this year, and in the writing of these posts on my blog.  The only reason I am even writing about this is because I have had people ask me what my new year's resolutions are this year.  And the above is my answer, even though I don't consider those to be resolutions.  I don't really believe in those, anyway.  I feel like that by making them, I am setting myself up to fail.  I know not everyone is like that, though, and if you do make new year's resolutions, I would love to hear about them.

I consider these things to be more like goals that I am striving to achieve.  All to the praise and glory of Jesus.

So that's been my new year's day.  It's been glorious, and I have enjoyed spending much needed time in the word of God.  My niece who writes a beautiful blog calls this week her "exhale week".  I like that, and would have to agree with her.  After the hustle and bustle of Christmas, this is the perfect time to relax, take a deep breath and evaluate how you want your year to go.  I have spent time praying about all that today, and know that because of God's goodness, this year and what it brings, will be amazing.  No year spent with Jesus is ever anything but.  Love to all.